Resentment over chemical factory in Andhra

PARLAPALLI (KARIMNAGAR): Kanakaiah is seething with rage. "Our lives are endangered. Women and children are complaining about health problems. Even cattle dread to consume water because the ground water is polluted," he rues. The 60-year-old farmer's grouse is against a chemical factory in this village of Thimmapur mandal and wants the management to immediately close the unit.
"Several pleas to the factory management have fallen on their deaf ears. We will intensify our struggle till they close the factory," Kanakaiah warns. Giving vent to their ire, enraged villagers attacked Haritha Bio-Products India Ltd factory last week and damaged factory vehicles and furniture. When hundreds of villagers entered the factory premises, panicked employees ran helter-skelter. Twelve lorries and a Tata Sumo were damaged, while furniture and computers were destroyed by the angry mob.
People believe that effluents and gases released from the factory were damaging their crops and polluting the water sources.
"Several villagers have developed respiratory and skin-related problems because of the pollutants emitted by Haritha unit,"points out Ramshankar, a registered medical practitioner. The chemical factory was set up eight months ago. It produces raw material for manufacturing ethanol, rectified spirit, industrial spirit and other chemicals. ""The stench emitted by the factory is unbearable. We cannot reside close to the factory or breathe properly,"" complained Ramalakshmi, a villager.
While the government authorites promised to take action against the pollutant unit, villagers are demanding that the factory be closed to save their lives. "Not only our crops are withering, but our lives are in grave danger. The authorities must come to our rescue," another villager said.