About two-and-a-half-years ago, M. Pydi, a resident of Pittavanipalem, was a farmer with sound health. Today, he is a broken man, both physically and financially. His land has been acquired, and he is down with severe asthma and skin disease.
Similar is the fate of Rellangi Raji of Deveda. Besides losing 15 kg in two years, he is infected with tuberculosis.
The social and economic fabric of about 15 villages under the panchayats of Deveda, Pedavalasa, Chinnapalem, Islampeta, and Nadupuru have taken a beating ever since the Hinduja National Power Corporation Limited (HNPCL) set up its 1,040 MW coal-based merchant power plant near Deveda.
About 40 per cent of the residents of these villages have respiratory disorders, and eye and skin diseases, says B. Srinivas, former sarpanch of Deveda.
The main agents of pollution are coal dust and ash from ash ponds. Water too has been polluted.
HNPCL does not have a rail link and coal is transported from Bayyavaram to the plant through dumpers, covering a distance of about 26 km. About 500 dumpers ply on the road passing through these villages. These vehicles are not covered and water is not sprayed to suppress the dust.
“Coal dust settles in eyes and people have been inhaling it for the last two years,” says Ch. Narasinga Rao, State Secretariat member of the CPI(M). Apart from coal dust, ash from the stacks and ash pond is another major issue that has been causing severe health problems.
“Every day, we have a thick coating of fine dust inside our house. My eight-year-old son has developed serious eye problem because of the ash. On the advice of an ophthalmologist, we have shifted him to our sister’s house in Anakapalle,” says Lakshmi, a resident of Islampeta.
“We have conducted a survey and found that every third person in the villages surrounding the plant has been suffering from lung or eye problem. The villages are sandwiched between two thermal plants — NTPC Simhadri and HNPCL,” Mr. Narasinga Rao told The Hindu .
Due to the ash pond, groundwater in villages such as Deveda, Pedavalasa, Chinnapalem, Islampeta, and Nadupuru got polluted.
‘Water turns toxic’As per a study done by a few research students of Andhra University, the groundwater in the villages has become toxic due to percolation of ions and sulphates into the soil from the ash pond.
“And it will increase and spread over the years,” says Mr. Narasinga Rao.
Because of the toxicity, skin diseases are on the rise and a number of people have also developed stomach ailments.
“We have stopped using the water for drinking and other purposes as well. We depend on water supplied through tankers once in three days by the GVMC,” says Appalanarasamma of Deveda. A once fertile land has become barren as the groundwater cannot be used for agriculture.
“We have stopped growing crops on whatever small extent of land that is left after acquisition,” says M. Venkata Rao of Pittavanipalem.
