Pungent smell filling the air every now and then has forced the residents of Bachupally to start a WhatsApp group. These members, who include techies, NRI’s and retired employees residing in various apartments and gated communities, frequently talk about their “sufferings” and share information regarding the status of their official complaints.
Not far away, residents of Ameerpet have been lodging complaints regarding nauseating smell bothering them at odd hours. And the residents of Palm Meadows gated community in Kompally formed an association only to fight the strong odour which they believe is making them sick.
The Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) has now decided to track down the “mysterious” smell which has bogged down the department for a while now. Though the Board has been receiving innumerable complaints, the source is not always located due to unavailability of manpower or equipment at that particular time or due to lack of an action plan to tackle the issue. The TSPCB has decided to conduct a detailed three-month study on the origin and reason behind such occurrences. For this purpose, it will partner with either NEERI (National Environmental Engineering research Institute) or EPTRI (Environment Protection Training and Research Institute). The study, which will be undertaken at various locations in the city from where complaints are being received, will focus on the impact of IDA’s (Industrial Development Area) like Patancheru, Bollarum and Jeedimetla in this matter. According to senior TSPCB officials, action will be taken as per the recommendations of the report.
The Board is also purchasing 12 VOC’s (Volatile Organic Analyser) that can not only detect the constituents of the smell but also reveal if it is harmful. These equipments will be deployed at various regional and zonal offices across the State so that an enquiry can be immediately carried out in case of any complaint.
Not stopping at that, the Board is all set to have its own mobile testing laboratory by spending around Rs 60 lakhs. The customized bus will have field testing kits, air monitoring instruments, GPS facility and a Wifi enabled computer to transmit information immediately to the Board’s central office.
The TSPCB will also undertake two other crucial research studies. One will be to assess why the ground water at Choutuppal is polluted and not fit for drinking.
The team will examine if it is due to Geological origins or contamination as a result of industrial discharges.
