Hyderabad:Residents have complained of a persistent foul odour in their localities, which they suspect is linked to the nearby Jawaharnagar dump yard. The stink was particularly strong during the late-night, early-morning and evening hours and had become a recurring problem.
“We moved away from the city, travelling several kilometres to work, so that we could live in an area surrounded by greenery and enjoy fresher air. Unfortunately, the nearby dumping area is causing severe foul smells and air pollution. At times, the air becomes so unbearable that we struggle to breathe, experience headaches and nausea, and have worsening respiratory discomfort,” said Sanreena Priscilla, a resident of Janapriya Apartments, Kowkoor.
“A relentless foul odour has gripped the Hubsiguda-Uppal belt. The stench becomes particularly strong during late-night and early-morning hours. Residents suspect emissions from the nearby Jawaharnagar dump yard and poorly managed waste transit points are contributing to the problem,” said Nikitha Gowda, a Habsiguda resident.
“Beyond being a nuisance, the foul air is causing concerns among residents about respiratory problems, asthma flare-ups, headaches and nausea. We are urgently seeking the intervention of the Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation to address the issue and take steps to improve air quality,” she added.
Sunaina K., a Mallapur resident, said the foul odour from the dump yard was affecting several surrounding residential areas. She said decomposing and burning waste could release pollutants and toxic gases and raised concerns over air pollution and possible contamination of soil and groundwater.
Himabindu, who works with an NGO, said areas within a 5-6 km radius of a dumping yard could experience foul odour, particularly when waste was not managed properly. “Waste management has to be done systematically and seriously. Shifting the dumping yard alone will not solve the problem, as another location could eventually turn into another Jawaharnagar,” she said, stressing the need for segregation at source and scientific waste processing.
Uma Mahesh, an activist said, “For newcomers, it is difficult to breathe here because of the foul smell. Around 96 colonies surround Jawaharnagar, including Karmikanagar, Gabbilalpet, Giriprasad Nagar, BJR Nagar and YSR Nagar. Leachate from the dumping yard is entering the soil and gases released from the site are affecting the air.”
“There has been no improvement after the May review meeting. The dumping yard should be removed to provide a permanent solution,” he added.
The concerns over Jawaharnagar are not new. At an all-party meeting held at the dump yard on May 21, local representatives and officials discussed pollution and waste-management issues affecting surrounding areas. At the meeting, leaders alleged that the large quantities of waste being dumped at Jawaharnagar were affecting the surrounding areas and water bodies and called for a permanent solution. They also suggested scientific waste management at multiple locations around the city instead of depending on a single dump yard.
Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation commissioner T. Vinay Krishna Reddy had said that feasible locations had been identified on all four sides of the city for scientific waste management. “A permanent solution will be achieved only if all the stakeholders cooperate,” he had said.
However, deputy commissioner G. Ramalingam said the civic body had not received any complaints from residents regarding foul odour. “We will look into the issue and take action accordingly and also the cause of the foul smell in the area,” he said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
