Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad   

Bubbling with noxious wastes

M. Sai Gopal

Industrial, domestic effluents mix in nala spreading pollution in surrounding areas

UNTREATED WASTE: Foaming effluents in a nala near Peerzadiguda in Uppal. — PHOTO: SATISH H.

HYDERABAD: It looks like a long bathtub, full of soap bubbles. Bubbles keep flying in the breeze. It could as well be a pleasing sight, but if one wants to take a close look at the strange phenomena, he would have to hold his breath.

The moving river of bubbles emits the smell of rotten eggs. And the river of bubbles flows through the nala that criss-crosses its way through Uppal and Peerzadiguda, until it empties into the Musi.

For those living in colonies around it, life is miserable. The unabated dumping of industrial and domestic effluents into the open nala is the reason for the water turning into white foam.

Chronic sickness

Residents of Sri Sri Colony, Bharatnagar and Peerzadiguda complain of chronic headaches, sickness and typhoid, apparently due to the effluents being released into the nala upstream. Residents also complain that utensils and metal objects get rusted within months of purchase.

"We survive only because of blessings of Shirdi Sai Baba. Utensils get discoloured. Sometimes, groundwater turns grimy and smells awful. Mosquitoes are rampant. The biggest problem is the acrid smell," complains Shailaja, who works in Shirdi Sai Baba temple next to the nala.

Residents say they complained to officials in Uppal municipality and the State Pollution Control Board (PCB). Recently, a PCB team visited the area and collected samples of water. That was the end of it.

The PCB officials say that the pungent smell is due to hydrogen sulphide gas that emanates when industrial and domestic effluents mix.

They confirm that the formation of foam is due to presence of large amounts of domestic effluents in the region.

"The foam is due to surfactants which have detergent properties. All the domestic wastes of Tarnaka and Habsiguda pass through this nala and get mixed with industrial effluents and that is why the foam is formed," said APPCB Environmental Engineer for Ranga Reddy district C.Y. Nagesh.

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