The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : `CDFD construction illegal'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

`CDFD construction illegal'

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Forum for Better Hyderabad has expressed concern over the construction of new premises by the Centre for DNA and Fingerprinting Diagnostics (CDFD) in the "prohibited zone" of Osmansagar lake, which provides drinking water to 15 per cent of the city residents.

As the CDFD deals with highly dangerous micro-organisms of bio-safety level - 3 and associated chemicals, there was every possibility of contamination of the water body due to negligence or human error. The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board permitted only dry operations on the new premises and served a notice asking the CDFD to stop the construction.

The CDFD authorities were, however, going ahead with the construction at an estimated cost of Rs. 20 crores without obtaining consent from the authorities concerned. Moreover, the centre was trying to overcome its "illegal actions" by indulging in backdoor tactics, like inviting the President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam to inaugurate the premises, the forum alleged.

In a press release, S. Jeevananda Reddy, general secretary, appealed to Mr. Kalam to reconsider inaugurating the premises.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh