KTR allays fears of pollution from Pharma City

HYDERABAD: In the wake of public hearing held on the proposed Hyderabad Pharma City, spread over 19,333 acres, at Yacharam as part of the procedure to seek environmental clearance, MA&UD minister K T Rama Rao spoke with the media on Tuesday on various positive aspects of the project. 
A major opposition to the project is on account of pollution fear. Environment has been ravaged for about three decades and people living in suburban areas of Hyderabad such as Jeedimetla, and Bollarum are still suffering due to pollution caused by pharmaceutical and bulk drug industries. 

In an attempt to allay the fears over pollution, Rao stressed that the Pharma City would have a common effluent treatment plant of 66 MLD capacity. Eight global companies have shown interest to build the CETP.  A 24MLD plant will suffice for phase-1 of the project. Besides, it will be ensured that zero liquid discharge system is employed by all companies. 

Rao also spoke of various other measures including restricting the ‘red’ category companies to 24 per cent of all companies operating in Pharma City, protection of the 10 lakes located in area, no extraction of groundwater there, having 33 per cent vegetation cover and a 500-metre non-residential buffer zone from the Pharma City. Even employees of the pharma companies will be residing in a residential cluster located in Pharma City itself. It will also have a pharma university along with research and development centre. 

If all companies operate from one location, it will become easier for PCB to monitor the levels of pollution. Rao added that villagers, whose lands would be acquired for the project, will be  trained for possible employment in the units to be set up there. In another memorandum to the CS, the Congress leaders alleged that the proposed Pharma city at Mucherla was a disaster in making. “A small size of 1,000 acres has become unmanageable. One can imagine the magnitude of the unfolding disaster if 12,000 acres of Pharma City takes shape,” the Congress  leaders pointed out.