Etala Rajender calls for permanent solution to Jawahar Nagar dumpyard pollution

Malkajgiri MP Eatala Rajender addressing a roundtable meeting demanding the shifting of the Jawaharnagar dump yard at Begumpet in Hyderabad on Sunday.

Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender has called for a permanent solution to the pollution caused by the Jawahar Nagar dumpyard, demanding that no fresh garbage be brought to the site and that waste accumulated there be recycled.

Addressing a roundtable meeting he organised on Sunday to discuss the pollution problem and its impact on residents here, the BJP MP said residents of Jawahar Nagar and surrounding areas are facing serious health problems. He alleged that the pollution extended over a radius of nearly 25-30 km.

Recalling the early problems associated with the dumpyard, he referred to an incident in which stray dogs allegedly carried away a baby and ate it. He said the residents had been living under hazardous conditions and questioned the failure to implement court orders despite the influence and resources available to a waste management company.

He alleged that funds under the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme were being spent in other States instead of being used to improve drinking water supply, roads and other facilities in Jawahar Nagar. He said four months had passed without a satisfactory outcome since he met Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

Suggesting alternatives, the MP called for the establishment of waste processing facilities using zero-pollution technology. He said garbage could be converted to electricity, biogas and organic manure instead of being dumped indiscriminately. He added that he would also seek the Centre’s support, including financial assistance, to address the problem.

Announcing that an agitation would be launched on October 27, he said affected residents are preparing to take out a march to draw attention to their plight.

Noted environmentalist K. Purushotham Reddy said he would join the protest on October 28. Jawahar Nagar remains the only dumping yard serving the entire city of Hyderabad, with around 8,000 tonnes of garbage transported to the 339-acre site every day, according to estimates for 2024.

Former mayor Banda Karthika Reddy also addressed the meeting which saw the participation of intellectuals, including Ch. Krishna Reddy, JAC members and locals. P. Murali Manohar presided over the roundtable.