Industries Minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy has ordered the constitution of a committee of experts to look into the menace of industrial pollution with due focus on the pollution likely to be caused by Divi’s Pharmaceuticals proposed expansion project in East Godavari district and submit its report by the first week of February.
The expert panel will be headed by the Director of Industries and comprise scientists from the Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture and State Institute of Fisheries Technology.
In a virtual meeting with the management of Divi’s Pharma from Hyderabad on Wednesday, Mr. Goutham Reddy said the government ought to protect public interest while facilitating the establishment of industries and their operations and tackling the persistent problem of pollution.
Efforts were being made to reach an amicable settlement of the dispute arising from the Divi’s project.
Apprehensions of the people had to be allayed and it should be ensured that injustice is not done to anyone, the Industries Minister said.
The Minister insisted that no harm should be done to the multiple hatcheries located in the vicinity of the Divi’s active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing unit.
Attention must be paid to preventing the possible impact of the discharge of effluents by the Divi’s project, on the fisheries sector, he instructed the officials concerned. Divi’s Pharmaceuticals Director Kiran Divi said the company would extend all possible cooperation to find a solution that is acceptable to all.
Tuni MLA Dadisetti Raja, Special Chief Secretary (Industries & Commerce) R. Karikal Valaven, Director of Industries J.V.N. Subramanyam, APIIC vice-chairman and Managing Director K. Raveen Kumar Reddy and East Godavari District Collector D. Muralidhar Reddy participated in the deliberations.
