Pharma company illegally laid pipeline, allege villagers, HRF

‘The pipeline is intended to carry effluents from the plant to sea’

Villagers of Rayayyapeta of Nakkapalli mandal in Visakhapatnam district and the Human Rights Forum (HRF) demanded that the authorities concerned take immediate action against the Hetero Drugs Limited, a pharmaceutical industry near Rajayyapeta village, for laying a three-foot diameter pipeline without allegedly obtaining the requisite clearances. Holding a meeting on Sunday at the village, they pointed out that the pipeline intended to carry effluents from the plant to sea was illegal.

According to V.S. Krishna of the HRF, Hetero Drugs had laid the pipeline for a distance of about 4 km before local fisherfolk could notice it about 12 days ago. After the locals started to stage a protest, the work was stopped.The villagers pointed out that it was brought to the notice of the Narsipatnam RDO, who visited the area subsequently, and had said that the pipeline laying was improper and that no clearance was obtained for the same. However, no action has been initiated against the company for this, said K. Anuradha, HRF Vizag district general secretary. It has been seen over the years that the toxins that are being let out by the company into the sea has had a deleterious effect on human health and marine ecosystems, alleged Jaha Aara, HRF Vizag district executive committee member.