1

THE NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY OF TELANGANA 2014 AND

INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION

Prof. Prabha Panth Osmania University,

Hyderabad

Undivided AP was among the top 10 industrial states in India. It had the third largest

number of factories in India in 2010-11, following Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra (ASI

summary report, 2011-12). The State specialised in Pharmaceuticals and Chemical

industries, with Medak district considered as the “Bulk drugs capital” of the country.

Pharmaceutical production from this region accounted for around one third of India’s

total bulk drug production.

But industrial development comes with a negative externality – environmental

degradation. Former AP did not have a good environmental record.

o AP was ranked third by the CPCB in 2010, in terms of industrial pollution in the

country.

o Nearly a fifth of industrial polluted hotspots in India were in former AP,

o In 2009-10 it ranked third in the production of hazardous wastes (9%) in India.

o It had the largest number of illegal dumpsites (40 sites) for hazardous wastes in

the country,

o In 2009, the CPCB identified two Critically Polluted Industrial Clusters in AP,

Vishakhapatnam (CEPI1 = 70.82), and Patencheru - Bollaram (CEPI = 70.07). The

CEP Index at Patencheru-Bollaram has since increased to 74.58 in 2011, and to

76.05 in 2013, overtaking Vishakhapatnam. [CPCB Annual Reports]

ABSTRACT In this paper we discuss the industrial pollution scenario of former AP and the new Telangana State, in the light of the New Industrial Policy 2014. We find that there is high concentration of polluting industries in four to five districts of Telangana. There is high incidence of non-compliance of pollution control and treatment by the Red, Orange, Grossly polluting, and Hazardous wastes producing industries in the state, in spite of many environmental regulations, controls, and court orders. In this situation the Industrial Policy vision of setting up more Red and Hazardous waste polluting industries throughout the state, and in the excessively polluted districts of Medak, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda in particular, is alarming, given their poor compliance record. The shift to Green industries and Sustainable development does not appear to be a priority issue of the New Industrial Policy.

2

o AP ranked second (after Maharashtra) in the number of industrial units in the

highly polluting or ‘Red’ category of industries (13.4%), in 2006-07. In 2011,

AP’s share of Red units in India had increased to 40% and Orange to 49%.

o AP ranked first in terms of non-compliant polluting units in India, in 2006.

o AP’s share of all non-compliant units (closed and defaulting2) in the Red category

of industries, was 16.5% in 2006-07, greater than its share of Red units in India.

[MoEF, Annual Report 2008].

PART I – INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION REGULATIONS

The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF) is the nodal

environmental institution in India, wherein environmental laws are formulated. The

Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) implements the pollution control laws and

regulations of the MoEF, directly and through the State Pollution Control Boards

(SPCBs). The CPCB sets pollution standards for air, water, hazardous, and other

pollutants, and suggests actions to be taken against defaulters, by the SPCBs.

The CBCB has classified industries into Red, Orange and Green categories based on their

relative pollution potential. These industries are required to seek Consent for

Establishment (CFE), Consent for Operation (CFO), Authorisation for handling

Hazardous Waste (AFHW), and Authorisation for Biomedical Waste (AFBMW) from the

PCBs. Compliance includes (a) obtaining consent and authorisation, (b) fulfilling

conditions laid down in the same, and (c) meeting the emission, discharge and

generation norms laid down under environmental standards.

Under the EIA notification 2006, environmental clearance is required for the industries3

falling under Category A and Category B, based on the size of operation, spatial extent

and potential impacts on human health, and on natural and manmade resources. While

industries under Category A have to get environmental clearance from the MoEF, the

Category B industries have to be cleared by the State/Union territory Environment

Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA). Environmental clearance is required for all new

projects/activities, expansion and/or modernisation of existing projects/activities, and

change in product mix, if the pollution load is increasing. Any project or activity

specified in Category B is treated as Category A, if located in whole or in part within 10

km from the boundary of: (i) Protected Areas notified under the Wild Life (Protection)

3

Act, 1972, (ii) Critically Polluted areas as notified by the CPCB from time to time, (iii)

Notified Eco-sensitive areas, and (iv) inter-State and international boundaries.

Environmental Clearance involves four stages, which could take a maximum time of

about 10 to 12 months. These stages include: 1) Screening, 2) Scoping, 3) Public hearing,

and 4) Appraisal. Public Hearing itself requires that the date, time, and venue of the

public hearing be notified in local news papers both in local languages and English, 30

days in advance. A final decision is taken regarding issue of environmental clearance,

and conditions to be stipulated for granting environmental clearance (within 60

days). If the Authority decides to reject the application for green clearance, the decision

will be communicated to the proponent along with reasons for rejection.

THE APPCB AND INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION CONTROLS IN FORMER AP:

The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) was constituted in the year 1976.

It works under the supervision of the CPCB, and implements its pollution control laws

and regulations. In the case of industrial pollution, the APPCB identifies industrial units

that exceed CPCB pollution standards4, and takes action against them.

Industrial Pollution control by the APPCB include:

1. Green Clearance:

As mentioned above, CFE has to be obtained by all industries and activities for site

clearance before actual construction and production. The CFO is valid for a specific

period of time depending on the pollution category of the industry, and needs to be

obtained before the actual production starts. It also has to be renewed regularly.

A study by EMC (2012) of AP, found that between 2005-06 and 2009-10, the number of

CFEs and CFOs rose by an average growth rate of 20% and 5% respectively per year.

The number of CFOs was twice the number of CFEs issued. But it was also observed that

TABLE 1. CONSENT FOR OPERATION AND ESTABLISHMENT GRANTED BY APPCB

CFE granted (shares) CFO granted (shares) Total

2005-06 618 (28.2%) 1573 (71.8%) 2191

2006-07 854 (30.2%) 1973 (69.8%) 2827

2007-08 1108 (33.1%) 2159 (66.9%) 3267

2008-09 1262 (34.1%) 2434 (65.9%) 3696

2009-10 1258 (34.9%) 1936 (35.1%) 3194

Average annual growth 21% 5% 9%

Source: APPCB, and EMC study, 2012.

4

there was a sharp decline in number of CFOs granted between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

This shows that green clearance is not being given to many existing industrial units as

they were not complying with pollution control norms of the PCB. Table 1.

2. Penalties:

Unlike other states, APPCB does not directly impose fines or taxes on polluting units.

Industrial units are inspected by the Task Force, which has the authority to close

down chronic defaulters. It can also shut down production of non-compliant units by

cutting off their water and power supply. Directions are issued to various units to

take up effluent treatment within a stipulated period, otherwise the unit is closed. In

both cases, the penalty for non-compliance is the foregone profits of the firm.

Errant industrial firms have to supply Bank Guarantees for compliance. If they

continue to default after a fixed time period, they forfeit this amount to the PCB. This

amounts to a fine/ or penalty.

3. Polluters Pay Principle and Compensation:

The APPCB and the public also have the power to sue polluting units in the High

Court and Supreme Court. The Courts issue directives to the polluters, to control,

treat, and reduce pollution.

Courts can order errant industries to pay compensation to farmers whose crops are

destroyed by industrial pollution. In many cases, when the industries failed to pay

the full amount, the Courts order the State government to pay the residual amount to

the farmers5. Other forms of compensation include providing drinking water to

affected villages. For instance as per the directions of the Supreme Court and High

Court, the State Govt., has been supplying drinking water to 20 villages in Medak Dist,

since 2008. 106 member industries of M/s. Patencheru Enviro Tech Ltd., (CETP) are

paying Rs.2.15 lakhs every month, since 2007 on High Court orders to HMWS&SB

towards drinking water charges supplied to the pollution affected villages. All these

are akin to penalties or pollution taxes.

4. Common Effluent treatment plants (CETP):

Since pollution control costs are high, CETPs were set up by the APPCB in Jeedimetla

(in 1989), Patencheru (1994), and Bollaram, and Kazipally (2001), especially to help

small-scale industries by centralising effluent treatment. Small scale units, which

5

cannot afford CETPs, have to send their effluents to the CETPs, after initial treatment.

Other industrial units also send their effluents to the CETPs, after primary treatment.

5. Cleaner Production Cell:

The APPCB is also encouraging the use of Cleaner Production (CP), and waste

minimisation techniques in industries, including small and medium industries such

as textiles, electro plating, chemicals, paints, bulk drugs, dyes, etc. In the 2010-15

Industrial Policy of AP, a 25% subsidy on capital costs of installing CP methods by

industries, was also mooted.

6. Relocation:

Finally, the Pollution Control Board merely relocates polluting industries to other

areas, to reduce the local pollution load6. This amounts to merely transferring the

problem to new areas.

PART II – INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION SCENARIO IN FORMER AP:

In spite of the above rules and regulations, there is still a high level of industrial

pollution going on in AP. Medak district in Telangana, and Vishakhapatnam district in

AP are heavily polluted by industrial effluents. Since 1985, there have been countless

agitations by the public against industrial pollution in Medak, particularly in the

Patencheru-Jeedimetla belt. This industrial estate has become notorious internationally,

for its high level of water, air, and hazardous waste pollution in India.

A study by Greenpeace [2004] showed that the Nakkavagu stream that flows through

the Patencheru industrial estate, bears the brunt of waste disposal of over 100

industries. While it used to be a source of irrigation and drinking water to nearby

villages, it is now heavily polluted, and its water is unfit for use. In the Patencheru

industrial estate, paint, plastic, chemical and bulk drug industries routinely dump their

waste into the stream. Pollution in this stream has destroyed approximately 2000 acres

of farmland besides contaminating well water up to 140 feet, resulting in a variety of

diseases, both for human and animal population.

An NGO, CSE and IIT test (2004) conducted on a water sample from a hand pump in

Pocharam village of Patancheru Industrial Area (PIA) in Medak district showed that the

level of mercury was 115 times the permissible limit. A study conducted by National

Geophysical Research Institute, (NGRI), Hyderabad, found that arsenic levels in villages

6

in and around PIA are as high as 700 parts per billion (PPB) as against the permissible

10 PPB recommended by the World Health Organisation. The study also found that the

manganese level in the groundwater sample from Bandalguda area was 15 times the

permissible limit, whereas the concentration of nickel was 4-20 times the permissible

limit.

Ground water industrial pollution is very high in Katedan, Sanathnagar, Patencheru,

Saroornagar and Jeedimetla industrial areas near about Hyderabad. A CPCB report7

[2010] states that while the minimum standard for BOD (biological oxygen demand)

should be only 6 mg/l, the BOD of the River Musi was on an average 34 mg/l at Nagole,

and 23 mg/l at Hyderabad. The Nakkavaggu, a stream in Medak, had a BOD as high as 50

mg/l. The River Manjira, a chief source of drinking water to the Twin Cities, also had a

BOD of 16-18 mg/l at Gowlicharla, almost three times the prescribed limit.

Studies by scientists have found evidence of high level of industrial pollutants that

exceed the CPCB standards, in numerous open and dug wells, small self-sustaining tanks

and water bodies in and around the industrial estates. These water bodies have turned

poisonous due to the high concentration of hazardous chemicals like Copper, Cadmium,

Chromium, Arsenic, Nitrate, Nickel, Uranium, Fluoride, etc. from the industrial effluents,

which are all higher than the permissible standards. [Srinivas, K.V. 2007]

There are countless such incidents going on in various districts of former AP, with the

APPCB being unable to cope with the clout wielded by industries. In spite of the PCB’s

strictures, Court orders, and various penalties imposed, these recalcitrant industries

continue to pollute indiscriminately. A few examples of the extent of industrial

pollution, its impacts, and action taken by APPCB are given below.

TABLE 2. A FEW CASES OF INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION VIOLATIONS

Name of Firm Pollution violation Environmental Impacts Action taken

1. Sri Krishna Pharmaceutical, Uppal*

2. Neuland Pharmaceuticals, Jinnaram, Medak*

3. Hetero Drugs Ltd., Unit- I, Domadugu village, Jinnaram mandal, Medak$

4. Aurobindo, Covalent, SMS, Astrix, Dr. Reddy’s, Divis Laboratories, NATCO and Granules, Ranga Reddy$

Both (1 and 2) produce drugs beyond permitted limits. Both release effluents into storm drains and wells in the night. Producing drugs not consented, and unpatented.

Releases effluents in to ponds, lakes, and wells.

Pollution of drains leading into the River Musi. Stomach cancer, death of foetus, vomiting and early deaths due to various health ailments. Death of animals. Destruction of crops and agricultural land, health impacts. Impoverishment of farmers. Destruction of crops and agricultural land

1. CFO not issued, but continues to produce. 2. Bank Guarantee forfeited (Rs. 25 lakhs). But continue to produce, and pollute. 3. Asked to use Zero Liquid

Discharge Technologies. But not implemented, continues to dump effluents.

4. Not paying full compensation to farmers, against Court orders

Source: *The Deccan Chronicle, July 4, 2014, and$ Jan. 20, 2014

7

The two functioning CETPs are faulty, acting as only receiving bodies of effluents from

different industries, and letting out a cocktail of thick, reddish brown effluents into

various water bodies. The Bollaram Plant is now defunct, and the other two release

effluents that exceed all pollution standards. A study conducted by the CPCB (2005),

showed that both these CETPs had not met the Board’s BOD, COD, pH, TDS, and TTS

standards. The Jeedimetla CETP (JETP) was found to contain TDS 15,000 mg/L in the

liquid effluent, discharged into the Amberpet sewage system. In 2008-09, the APPCB

imposed penalties on it and its member industries for non-compliance, and exceeding

the pollution load levels. Rs.1.32 crores was levied as penalty on JETL and its Bank

Guarantee of Rs.50 lakhs forfeited. Bank Account of JETL was frozen for non-payment of

penalty. Penalties were imposed on member industries and 87 tankers for not meeting

the influent standards, between 2007-09. [APPCB Annual Report, 2008-09]

The Patencheru CETP [PETL] contained TDS equal to 7,000 mg/L, and this effluent was

let off into a stream. In 2008-09, the APPCB levied a penalty of Rs,5,40,400 on member

units for non-compliance. It also levied Rs.2.72 crores as penalty on PETL. Bank

Guarantee of Rs.50 lakhs of PETL was forfeited in Feb.2009, and its Bank Account was

frozen for non-payment of penalty. Both CEPTs have appealed to the Courts, and the

cases are since pending. Meanwhile pollution continues.

The State Government in 2000 had decided to build a pipeline from the Patencheru

CETP to the Amberpet Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). But there was stiff opposition to

this, as it is felt that it will only transfer the pollution into the already highly polluted

River Musi. The Musi, which used to supply drinking water to the Twin Cities at one

time, is now categorised in the ‘D’ or most polluted category in a study by CPCB [2010].

CP methods have not been implemented in most of the polluting industries in the

various industrial estates of the State. Only 9 industrial units have so far implemented

CP in AP, and another 8 were in the pipeline in 2009 [APPCB website].

One of the contributing factors is that the probability of defaulting units being caught

during inspections is low, only around 40% [APPCB Task force]. As such industrial

units continue to pollute, even though the value of expected penalty if caught, is high for

all sizes of industries, i.e. loss of their earnings and profit over the period of closure, and

forfeiting of bank guarantees. [Panth, P. 2008]

8

INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION CATEGORIES AND COMPLIANCE STATUS IN FORMER AP:

We shall now look into the compliance status of three different categories of polluting

industries in former AP and in Telangana. These categories include: 1) Red, Orange, and

Green categories, 2) Grossly polluting industries, and 3) Hazardous waste producing

industries. Some industrial units may belong to two or more of these categories,

depending on the type and quantity of pollution that they generate.

1. Industrial Pollution compliance – Red, Orange, and Green categories:

As mentioned earlier, as per the CPCB regulations it is obligatory for all industrial units

to obtain Environmental Clearance from their respective State PCBs8, such as Consent

for Operation (for existing units, to continue and also to expand operations), and

Consent for Establishment (for new units).

As per the Central Action Plan 1991, the CPCB classified large and medium scale

industries into three categories on the basis of their levels of pollution –

1) Red or highly polluting: consisting of 17 major industrial groups; in 2011, this list

was extended to include another 68 industries (total 85 industries),

2) Orange: having lower level of pollution, includes 73 industries, and

3) Green: with least or no pollution: 86 industries.

Further, 66 Small Scale industries have also been included in the most polluting

category, and have to undertake pollution control as well.

However CPCB permits States to include more industries in these categories based on

their own interpretation of “pollution”. As such, in 2010 former AP’s Red list included a

total of 101 industries. The CPCB directs the State PCBs to identify all industrial firms in

these polluting categories, so that action can be taken against those that are flouting

environmental laws. They are then classified under Compliant, Defaulting and Closed

units. Defaulting units are forced to shut down temporarily, by cutting off their water

and power supply, while chronic defaulters are closed down by the APPCB, until they

undertake pollution control and safe disposal measures.

AP had a high share of highly polluting categories. In 2011, almost 40% of the total

number of large and medium scale units in AP belonged to the Red Category of polluting

9

industries, 49% were Orange, and only 5% Green. Thus 89% of these units belong to

the most polluting category of industries.

In comparison in 2005-06, 35% of large and medium sized industrial units belonged to

the Red category, 51% to the Orange, and the remaining 14% were in the Green

category. So there has been an increase in Red’s share, while that of Orange and Green

have fallen since 2005-06. Table 3.

The share of Red industries had been increasing over the years in former AP, from 35%

in 2005, to almost 40% in 2011. The share of Orange, though largest had been nearly

constant around 49-50%, but share of Green has been falling over the last 6 years, from

15% in 2005, to about 11% in 2011. The decreasing share of Green industrial units does

not augur well for sustainable development in the State.

Further, Red industries have grown at a simple annual average growth of nearly 17%

from 2005-6 to 2011, which is much higher than the growth of Orange (13%) and Green

(4.5%) units. The growth rate of Red industries has exceeded that of the overall growth

of the total large and medium industries in the state (13%). The growth of Green

industries has been low (4.5%), showing low priority given to sustainable development.

Not all these units were in operation, some were either sick, or were closed down for

non-compliance by the APPCB. Earlier, the APPCB used to publish data on the number of

defaulting (with power and water supply cut off) units, closed units that were

chronically non-compliant, and those that were compliant i.e. operating units.

Unfortunately it is not issuing this data anymore, nor has the website updated the

district wise information on status of polluting categories of industries, since 2007.

TABLE 3. GROWTH AND SHARES OF LARGE AND MEDIUM POLLUTING UNITS IN AP

Red Orange Green Total

Total 2005-06 Shares

2226 (35.28%)

3096 (49.35%)

952 (15.17%)

6274

Total 2007 Shares

3040 (36.64%)

4324 (52.12%)

932 (11.23%)

8296

Total 2009 Shares

3943 (39.14%)

5071 (50.34)

1059 (10.51)

10073

Total 2011 Shares

4437 (39.82%)

5498 (49.34%)

1208 (10.84%)

11143

Average annual growth 16.56% 12.93% 4.48% 12.94%

Source: estimated from data published on APPCB website

10

Table 4 shows the status of polluting categories of industries in AP for the year 2010.

81% of all industrial units in AP were Compliant and Operating, 11% were Closed for

non- compliance, and 8% were Sick.

TABLE 4. INDUSTRIAL UNITS*: POLLUTION CATEGORY WISE. AP (2010)

Share of Total Operating 81% Share of Total Closed 11% Share of Total Sick 8%

Red Units Orange Units Green Units

Andhra Pradesh

Total Operating

Closed Sick Total Operating

Closed Sick Total Operating

Closed Sick

Total units 2672 2155 332 185 3244 2553 369 322 879 773 58 48

Shares within pollution category %

39.3 80.7 12.4 6.9 47.7 78.7 11.4 9.9 12.9 87.9 6.6 5.5

Source: APPCB website. * Only large and medium scale units .

o Compliant: 81% of all Red, 79% of all Orange, and 88% of all Green units were

supposedly compliant and were operating in the State in 2007.

o Closed: While 12% of all Red units were closed for non-compliance, it was

slightly lower for Orange (11%) and still lower for Green units (7%). Thus it can

be seen that together, 23% of the Red and Orange units were officially non-

compliant. These refer to only the large and medium industrial units. Small scale

units which occupy a large part of most industrial estates are not accounted for

here, although they contribute as high as 40% of total industrial pollution.

o Sick: More Orange units were sick (10%), followed by Red (7%), and Green

(6%).

TABLE 5. OPERATIONAL STATUS SHARES IN POLLUTION CATEGORIES (2010)

Total Operating 5481 Total Closed 759

Share of Red units 39.32% Share of Red units 43.74%

Share of Orange units 46.58% Share of Orange units 48.62%

Share of Green units 14.1% Share of Green units 7.64%

Estimated from above table

Table 5 shows shares of Red, Orange and Green units as per their operational status.

(We do not look at Sick industries here). It can be seen that out of total operating units,

the Red and Orange categories had a major share, with Orange getting the maximum

share. Similarly in the case of Closed i.e. non-compliant units, Orange units dominated

with nearly 49%, and Red with 44%.

Although the level of total compliance is shown to be high as 81% of all units in the

state, there are reports that surreptitious pollution is still carried on at night, with

effluents being discharged secretly into open streams, wells, and canals [Greenpeace

study 2004]. Also, although all treated effluents have to be sent to the various CETPs,

11

most of them do not meet the minimum standards and are sent back for further

treatment. It is common knowledge that the trucks dispose of the effluents en route, and

hence avoid the further costs of disposal and treatment.

2. Grossly Polluting Units:

The CPCB also identifies 29 categories of industries as “grossly polluting industries”;

these discharge 100 kg or more of BOD (Biological Oxygen Demand) per day into rivers.

CPCB’s Annual Report [2006-07] showed that non-compliance by grossly polluting units

in AP was as high as 34%. These are the official figures, but there are many unrecorded

defaulters as well.

TABLE 6: STATUS OF GROSSLY POLLUTING INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN AP (2006)

Complying Defaulting Closed Total % Compliant % non-compliant

Andhra Pradesh

243 90 34 367 66.2% 33.8%

Source: CPCB Annual Report 2006-07

3. Hazardous Wastes:

As stated above, former AP stood 3rd in the production of industrial hazardous wastes9

in India. Data from APPCB website showed that the total number of HW generating

industrial units in AP was 3,222 in 2010, as compared to 1,739 in 2008, i.e. it almost

doubled in two years. The share of HW generating industrial units in total industries in

AP, which was around 48% in 2008, had increased to 71% in 2010. These include only

the large and medium scale industries, as the small scale industries’ inventories have

not been taken. Thus the actual number of HW generating units and wastes could be

much larger. [APPCB website, CPCB Reports 2008, 2009].

These 3,222 industrial units generated a total of 1,089,962 MT of hazardous wastes

(HW) in 2010, a growth of 48% pa over 2008 [APPCB website]. The growth of

Hazardous Wastes generated was thus about 5% greater than the growth of its

generating industrial units in these two years. The HW generated in AP during 2010

consisted of 58% recyclable, 38% disposable (landfill), and 4% incinerable wastes

[APPCB website]. Although recyclable is the largest portion, both the TSDFs (Transfer,

Storage and Disposal Facility) in AP do not recycle HW, but either store them on their

premises or dispose them off in landfills. This is both an uneconomical and

environmentally unsafe way of treating recyclable wastes.

12

While the number of HW producing factories is highest in Telengana, the amount of HW

generated is highest in Andhra region. Data showed that there is no match between

number of HW generating units and total HW generated in different districts of AP. Thus

Visakhapatnam district with a smaller share in HW generating units, had the highest

share in amount of HW generated, while Ranga Reddy had the largest number of HW

generating factories, but generated only 2/3 of HW compared to Vishakhapatnam.

TABLE 7. HAZARDOUS WASTE GENERATING UNITS IN AP UNDER DIFFERENT INDUSTRIAL ZONES (2011)

Zone Numbers share HW generated

HW shares

1.Hyderabad: (Ranga Reddy, Hyd, Mahaboobnagar, Warangal and Karimnagar)

1178 36.56% 228,878.6 21.06%

2. Ramchandrapuram: (Medak, Nizamabad, Nalgonda, Adilabad)

667 20.7% 215,107.4 19.79%

3. Vishakhapatnam: (Srikakulam, Vishakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West and East Godavari)

676 20.98% 586,914.5 54.01%

4. Vijayawada: (Krishna, Guntur, Khammam, Nellore, Prakasham)

486 15.08% 26,006.22 2.39%

5. Kurnool: (Chitoor, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Ananthapur) 215 6.67% 29,834.05 2.75%

Total 3222 10,86,740.77

Source: Annual Report, APPCB 2010-11. It should be noted that in 2011, before bifurcation, Khammam was included in the Andhra region.

The CPCB has identified 141 hazardous waste dumpsites in 13 States of India. AP ranks

first, with 41/141 dumpsites, or nearly 10% in India [CPCB, 2006-07]. The wastes are

supposed to be transferred to various Treatment and disposal centres (TSDF) in the

State for safe disposal. However hazardous waste disposal and treatment is not up to

the mark. For instance the TSDF facility at Dindigal, only collects and accumulates the

hazardous wastes of industries, but does not treat or recover materials from these

wastes in an ecofriendly manner. Data from TSDF showed just 19% compliance of HW

units in AP, which means that the other 81% industrial units are indiscriminately

dumping their wastes, instead of sending them for treatment or recycling. [Panth, P.

2012].

PART III - INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION COMPLIANCE IN TELANGANA:

The APPCB has divided the former state of AP into 5 industrial zones, of which two

zones, Hyderabad and Ramchandrapuram, encompass all the districts of Telangana10,

and the other three (Vijayawada, Vishakhapatnam, and Kurnool) cover all the Andhra

districts. In this paper, we shall be analysing only the Telangana State’s industrial

pollution scenario, for the latest year for which the APPCB had published data on its

website, i.e. 2007.

13

TABLE 8. DISTRIBUTION OF LARGE AND MEDIUM SCALE POLLUTING UNITS 2007

TELANGANA ANDHRA

Shares Number Shares Number Total

Red 56% 1716 44% 1324 3040

Orange 33% 1416 67% 2908 4324

Green 74% 689 26% 243 932

Totals 3821 4475 8296

Source: estimated from data on APPCB website

From Table 8, it can be seen the distribution of polluting units is not uniform across the

two new States. Red units were more concentrated in Telangana, while Andhra had the

bulk of Orange (67%) or lesser polluting industries. The high concentration of Red

industries in Telangana, shows the higher risk of environmental pollution emanating

from these industries. At the same time, it should be noted here that the higher

concentration of Green industries in Telangana cannot compensate or remove the

pollution created by the Red ones.

Compliance Status of Industrial units in Telangana:

Out of the total large and medium scale units in Telangana, nearly 45% were in the Red

category, 37% in the Orange, and 18% in Green. So within the State, the Red category

dominated. Table 9.

TABLE 9: STATUS OF LARGE AND MEDIUM POLLUTING UNITS IN TELANGANA (2007)

Operating Sick Closed Total Share in Total units

Red 1482 79 150 1711

Share in total Red 86.6% 4.6% 8.8% 44.84%

Orange 1170 122 124 1416

Share in total Orange 82.6% 8.6% 8.8% 37.11%

Green 633 24 32 689

Share in total Green 91.9% 3.5% 4.6% 17.95%

Total 3285 225 306 3816

Shares in total units 86.08% 5.90% 8.02%

Source: estimated from data from APPCB website

Next, looking at the compliance status of the various industrial units – as mentioned

above, while the operating units are assumed to be fully compliant, the closed ones are

clubbed with the defaulting units. Loss making units are deemed to be ‘sick’.

Of the total large and medium units in Telangana nearly 87% were operating, and 9%

were closed for not complying with environmental norms. In the case of Orange

industries, 83% approx were operational, and around 8.6% were closed for

environmental violations. Green industries’ compliance level was as high as 92%, and

14

non-compliance just 4.6%. (We can ignore the sick industries that contribute neither to

output nor to pollution). Hence the most polluting category of industrial units – Red and

Orange, also have the highest rate of non-compliance.

However, it should be noted that even those units that profess to be compliant, have

only installed or have promised to install the required facilities for wastewater

treatment. In the majority of cases they are not using them, as is testified by the large

scale industrial pollution problems in the surrounding areas, discussed earlier.

Distribution of Polluting units in Telangana Districts:

The APPCB has two Zonal Offices in Telangana – Ramchandrapuram and Hyderabad,

covering all the districts of Telangana. These industrial zones overlap and spill over to

other districts, for example Medak is included in Sangareddy I and II. The industrial

estates outside the Twin Cities are classified under Ranga Reddy I and II. Hyderabad

consists of industries situated within the Twin Cities.

The polluting units are not uniformly distributed in the State. Ignoring the Sick units, we

find that Ranga Reddy II had the largest number of industrial units, as well as of

operating Red units. Ranga Reddy I and II, as well as Sangareddy I and II, with the

highest concentration of Red and Orange industrial units, also suffer from the greatest

incidence of industrial pollution in Telangana. About 56% of Orange industries were

distributed over 3 districts, Rangareddy I and II, Karimnagar, and Warangal, while 29%

of Green were in Hyderabad,

TABLE 10. DISTRIBUTION OF LARGE AND MEDIUM INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN TELANGANA (2007)

DISTRICTS GREEN ORANGE RED Operating Sick Closed Operating Sick Closed Operating Sick Closed TOTAL

1. Ramchandrapuram Zone:

Ranga Reddy-I 143 0 8 146 0 1 305 0 63 666

Ranga Reddy-II 83 0 9 216 0 19 376 0 4 707

Sangareddy-I, Medak

18 2 0 45 4 0 160 14 7 250

Sangareddy-II, Medak

16 8 0 72 35 9 183 39 0 362

Nalgonda 13 5 0 76 38 0 145 11 1 289

2. Hyderabad Zone:

Mahaboobnagar 149 2 1 70 5 3 74 3 17 324

Hyderabad 188 3 6 61 1 35 73 0 36 403

Karimnagar 4 0 0 192 0 6 48 1 4 255

15

Ranga Reddy I and II had a share of 46% of all Red operating units, while Sanga Reddy I

and II had half of that i.e. 23%. These four districts, along with Nalgonda (10%), had a

concentration of 79% of the total Red operating units in 2007.

From the table below it can be seen that 68% of all Red industries were located in just

two districts – Ranga Reddy I and II, and Medak (Sangareddy I and II).

TABLE 11. SHARE OF OPERATING POLLUTING INDUSTRIAL UNITS IN TELANGANA DISTRICTS 2007

Red operating

Share Red

Orange operating

Share Orange

Green Operating

Share Green

Ranga Reddy-I 305 20.6% 146 12.5% 143 22.6%

Ranga Reddy-II 376 25.4% 216 18.5% 83 13.1%

Sangareddy-I, Medak 160 10.8% 45 3.8% 18 2.8%

Sangareddy-II, Medak 183 12.3% 72 6.2% 16 2.5%

Nalgonda 145 9.8% 76 6.5% 13 2.1%

Mahaboobnagar 74 5.0% 70 6.0% 149 23.5%

Hyderabad 73 4.9% 61 5.2% 188 29.7%

Khammam 40 2.7% 79 6.8% 5 0.8%

Karimnagar 48 3.2% 192 16.4% 4 0.6%

Adilabad 38 2.6% 30 2.6% 1 0.2%

Warangal 32 2.2% 108 9.2% 12 1.9%

Nizamabad 8 0.5% 75 6.4% 1 0.2%

Total 1482 1170 633

Source: Estimated from APPCB website data (2007)

The highest level of non-compliance was by the Red Units, with a share of nearly 50% of

all closed units, followed by Orange with 40% and Green with just 10%. In terms of

closure, Ranga Reddy I had 42% of defaulting Red industrial units, followed by

Hyderabad, with 24% of non-compliant Red units.

Concentration of polluting industries creates high levels of local environmental

degradation, that affects the population, agriculture, cattle, and ecology of surrounding

areas. We now look at the concentration ratios of polluting industries, to enquire into

those areas which have a high agglomeration of polluting industries. It also helps in

Khammam 5 0 0 79 29 0 40 2 0 155

Adilabad 1 0 0 30 0 2 38 0 5 76

Warangal 12 4 6 108 9 30 32 8 4 213

Nizamabad 1 0 2 75 1 19 8 1 9 116

TOTAL 633 24 32 1170 122 124 1482 79 150 3816

Source: APPCB website

16

identifying areas that are chocked with polluting units, and helps in determining

location of new industries in less polluted areas.

Disparity Index: is used to show the differences in location of polluting industrial units

across the districts of Telangana State [Panth and Shastri, 2011]. The Disparity Index DI,

is given by:

DI = District’s share in units of a certain pollution category District’s share in total operating units

This Index shows whether a region’s share in a particular polluting category of

industries exceeds or is less than its share of total operating units in the State. For

instance, if a region has 60% of all industrial units belonging to a particular polluting

category (say Red), and it has 40% of the total industrial units in the State, then its DI

will be: 60/40 = 1.5. If DI > 1, it shows high level of concentration, if DI < 1, it shows

lower level of concentration of the particular polluting industry in that district.

This is shown in the following table. It can be seen that 6 districts have a higher

concentration of Red operating units, as their DI > 1, with the highest being Sangareddy

I, and the least being Nizamabad.

TABLE 12. DISPARITY INDEX – TELANGANA DISTRICTS (2007)

DI Red DI Orange DI Green

Ranga Reddy-I 1.13 0.69 0.24

Ranga Reddy-II 1.23 0.90 0.12

Sangareddy-I, Medak 1.61 0.57 0.08

Sangareddy-II, Medak 1.51 0.75 0.06

Nalgonda 1.39 0.92 0.06

Mahaboobnagar 0.56 0.68 0.51

Hyderabad 0.50 0.53 0.57

Khammam 0.72 1.81 0.04

Karimnagar 0.44 2.23 0.02

Adilabad 1.23 1.23 0.01

Warangal 0.45 1.94 0.08

Nizamabad 0.21 2.47 0.01

Estimated from APPCB website data

This is reversed in the case of Orange, where Nizamabad had a higher concentration of

Orange, with 5 districts having DI > 1. In the case of Green units, they were more or less

equally spread out, with perhaps Hyderabad having a slightly higher concentration, but

still < 1. The DI gives a picture of the concentration of the polluting units over districts,

17

and shows that while Green units are somewhat equally distributed over the various

districts of Telangana, the Red and Orange units were concentrated in 5-6 districts. This

shows the greater environmental risk of locating more polluting industries in areas with

a high DI.

Ranga Reddy district which adjoins Hyderabad city, has high concentration of polluting

industries. This high concentration near the crowded areas around Hyderabad city is

very disturbing, showing the high risk to the population here . The highest number of

Red closed units are also in Ranga Reddy I and II, denoting the higher level of non-

compliance in these districts.

All the above data is for large and medium scale industries. No data is available for small

and micro units. Though each small unit may emit small amounts of wastewater, the

combined concentration of all the units located in a particular industrial estate, is

ecologically devastating.

2. Hazardous Waste (HW) Pollution:

As discussed above, Telangana has the bulk of HW producing units (59%), with Andhra

getting the residue. But these units produced only 41% of the HW of former AP State.

The table below shows that Ranga Reddy district has both the largest number of HW

polluting units, and produces the largest amount of HW in Telangana. It is followed by

Medak, and Nalgonda. These three districts have 69% of all HW producing units, and

produce around 86% of the total HW in Telangana.

TABLE 13. HAZARDOUS WASTES UNITS AND GENERATION – TELANGANA DISTRICTS (2010)

District No of units

Shares units

TOTAL HW (MT)

Shares HW

Disposable HW (MT)

Recyclable HW (MT)

Incinerable HW (MT)

Vulnerability Index*

Ranga Reddy 697 36.9% 176388.1 39.56% 78651.1 95305.94 2431.11 11,750.42

Medak 475 25.2% 125948.9 28.24% 51660.64 60118.89 14169.36 3,622.62

Nalgonda 151 8.0% 80503.66 18.05% 35905.89 37757.65 6840.12 1,306.15

Mahaboobnagar 171 9.1% 34799.16 7.80% 5040.92 29038.15 720.09 366.61

Warangal 53 2.8% 14691.08 3.29% 1865.3 12823.98 1.8 289.01

Adilabad 29 1.5% 8629.01 1.94% 5800 2829 0 83.66

Khammam 43 2.3% 1931.14 0.43% 1.1 1930.042 0 19.62

Karimnagar 193 10.2% 1671.45 0.37% 21.27 1648.297 1.88 42.3

Hyderabad 64 3.4% 1328.79 0.30% 511.336 816.105 1.35 1,27,823.10

Nizamabad 12 0.6% 25.82 0.01% 0 25.82 0 0.95

Total 1888

445917.1

179457.6 242293.9 24165.71

Shares

40.2% 54.3% 5.4%

Source: APPCB inventory of HW, 2010, APPCB website. *HW MT/sq km × population density, from Panth, P. 2012

18

It can be seen that although Hyderabad ranks 9th in terms of total HW generated in

Telangana, due to its heavy population density, it is highly vulnerable to HW pollution.

Thus any pollution accident will take a very large toll of the Twin Cities’ population, on

the lines of the Bhopal Tragedy. Ranga Reddy district is next in terms of vulnerability.

Added to this is the low rate of compliance, as discussed above.

All the HW is not waste, for it is possible to recycle 54% of this HW. 40% is disposable

into landfills, and only 6% is incinerable. This means that more than half of the HW can

be reused, it is not a waste, but an economic good. However, the TSDF at Dindigal,

merely stores the wastes on its premises, and incinerates a large part of it. This is a

sheer waste of economic resources, as well as polluting in nature, as the TSDF merely

converts solid wastes into air pollution, with its attendant dangers.

PART IV. THE NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY OF TELANGANA (2014) AND

POLLUTION ISSUES:

The main thrust of the new Telangana State Industrial Policy of 2014, is to develop the

state as an important industrial centre. For this, administrative reforms are sought to be

introduced to make the state more investor friendly, both for domestic investment and

FDI. The Policy Framework also plans to develop specific industrial clusters in each

district. This Industrial Policy is committed to the growth of mega, large, medium and

small industries in Telangana. Development of infrastructure, energy, and water

requirements are also planned, to supply the basic requirements of these industries.

[Industrial policy framework for State of Telangana (2014)].

Industrial Pollution Categories:

The main thrust of industrial development in the new State of Telangana seem to be the

establishment of more Red industries. There are 11 groups of Red industries in the 15

industrial groups being mooted under the New Industrial Policy in various districts of

Telangana (Table 14). As per a map provided in the above Policy, Red industries are

being proposed to be set up in the most polluted districts of the State, which will only

worsen industrial pollution therein.

Out of these 15 groups of industries planned to be started in various districts, only two

belong to Green category, two Orange, and the other eleven are Red industries.

19

TABLE 14. POLLUTION CATEGORY OF INDUSTRIES TO BE SET UP UNDER THE NEW INDUSTRIAL POLICY

Industry Pollution Category District

1. Life Sciences—including, bulk drugs, formulations, vaccines, biological pharmaceuticals,

Red

Medak, Ranga Reddy, Mahboobnagar, Nalgonda

2. IT Hardware, bio-medical devices, electronics, cellular communications,

Orange Ranga Reddy

3. Precision Engineering, including aviation, aerospace, defence.

Red Ranga Reddy

4. Food processing and nutrition products including dairy, poultry, meat and fisheries.

Red

Ranga Reddy

5. Automobiles, Transport Vehicles, Auto-components, Tractors and Farm Equipment

Red

Medak, Ranga Reddy

6. Textiles and Apparel, Leather and leather value added products.

Red

Mahboobnagar, Warangal, Karimnagar

7. Paper and paper products Red Khammam, Adilabad

8. Plastics and Polymers, Chemicals and Petro-chemical, fertilisers

Red Medak, Karimnagar

9. FMCG and Domestic Appliances Orange Mahboobnagar

10. Engineering and Capital Goods, including castings, foundry and Ferroalloys metallurgical industries.

Red

Medak, Khammam

11. Cement Red Nizamabad, Adilabad, Nalgonda, Karimnagar

12. Mineral-based and wood-based Industries

Red Warangal, Khammam, Mahboobnagar

13. Thermal Power Red Khammam, Karimnagar

14. Waste management and green technologies,

Green Not mentioned

15. Renewable Energy and Solar Parks, Green All districts

Source: New Industrial Policy, 2014

As discussed above, the State is already reeling under extreme industrial pollution. The

greater preference given to establishment of more Red industries will only serve to

exacerbate the industrial pollution impacts and ecological destruction in the State.

Regarding distribution of polluting industries, it can be seen that Ranga Reddy and

Medak are again going to be saddled with more Red pollution category industries, with

the former also receiving a group of Orange industries. Each of these two districts are to

be burdened with four groups of highly polluting industries, in addition to those already

established here. The same set of bulk drugs, chemicals, plastics, food processing etc.

are to be established in these districts, regardless of the extreme levels of pollution

experienced in these districts. Already these four districts contain 90% of the above

industries in the State.

20

Karimnagar and Khammam are also to establish 4 groups of Red industries, while

Warangal, Adilabad, and Nalgonda get 3 groups of Red industries. Mahboobnagar also

has to set up 3 groups of Red, and one of Orange industries under the allocations in the

New Industrial Policy 2014 of Telangana State.

Hyderabad having the highest vulnerability index, is spared from the establishment of

any new industries of any category, which is a relief to the citizens. Table 15.

TABLE 15. DISTRIBUTION OF NEW INDUSTRIES AND POLLUTION IMPLICATIONS IN TELANGANA DISTRICTS

DISTRICT INDUSTRIES TO BE SET UP UNDER NEW IND POLICY

POLLUTION CATEGORY

SHARE IN POLLUTING

CATEGORIES*

DISPARITY INDEX$

HAZARDOUS WASTES SHARE@

HW VULNERABILITY

INDEX#

MEDAK 1) Life Sciences: bulk drugs, vaccines, formulations, biological pharmaceuticals, 2) Automobiles, Transport Vehicles, Auto-components, Tractors, Farm Equipment, 3) Plastics and Polymers, Chemicals and Petro-chemical, fertilisers, 4) Engineering and Capital Goods, including castings, foundry and Ferroalloys metallurgical industries.

RED

RED: 41% ORANGE: 10% GREEN: 5.3%

SANGAREDDY I, II: RED 1.61, 1.51 ORANGE: 0.69, 0.9 GREEN: 0.08, 0.06

28%

3,622.62

RANGA REDDY 1) Life Sciences, bulk drugs, vaccines, formulations, biological pharmaceuticals, 2) Automobiles, Transport Vehicles, Auto-components, Tractors and Farm Equipment, 3) Precision Engineering, aviation, aerospace, defence. 4) Food processing and nutrition products - dairy, poultry, meat and fisheries. 5) IT Hardware, bio-medical devices, electronics, cellular communications,

RED

ORANGE

RED: 46%

GREEN:33.7%

ORANGE: 31%

RANGA REDDY I & II RED: 1.23 AND 1.21 ORANGE: 0.69, 0.9 GREEN: 0.24, 0.12

40%

11,750.42

HYDERABAD No new industries suggested

--- RED: 4.9% ORANGE: 5.2% GREEN: 29.7%

RED: 0.5 ORANGE: 0.53 GREEN: 0.57

0.3%

1,27,823.10

NALGONDA 1) Life Sciences, bulk drugs, formulations, vaccines, biological pharmaceuticals 2) Precision Engineering, aviation, aerospace, defence.

RED

RED:9.8%

ORANGE: 6.5% GREEN: 5.3%

RED: 1.39

ORANGE: 2.47 GREEN: 0.01

18%

1,306.15

KARIMNAGAR 1) Textiles, Apparel, Leather, and leather value added products. 2) Plastics and Polymers, 3) Cement 4) Thermal Power

RED

RED:3.2% ORANGE: 16.4%

GREEN: 0.6%

RED: 0.44 ORANGE: 1.94 GREEN: 0.08

0.38%

42.3

MAHBOOBNAGAR

1) Life Sciences, bulk drugs, formulations, vaccines, biological pharmaceuticals, 2) Textiles and Apparel, Leather and leather value added products, 3) Mineral-based and wood-

RED

RED: 5% GREEN: 23.5%

RED 0.56 ORANGE: 0.68 GREEN: 0.51

7.8%

366.6

21

based Industries 4) Domestic appliances

ORANGE

ORANGE: 6%

ADILABAD 1) Paper and paper products, 2) Cement

RED

RED:2.6% ORANGE: 2.6% GREEN: 0.2%

RED: 1.23

ORANGE: 1.23 GREEN: 0.01

2%

83.61

NIZAMABAD 1) Cement RED RED:0.5% ORANGE: 6.4% GREEN: 0.2%

RED: 0.21 ORANGE: 2.47 GREEN: 0.01

0.01% 0.95

KHAMMAM 1) Paper and paper products 2) Engineering and Capital Goods, castings, foundry and Ferroalloys metallurgical industries. 3) Thermal power, 4) Mineral-based and wood-based Industries

RED

RED:2.7 ORANGE:6.8% GREEN:0.8%

RED: 0.72 ORANGE: 1.81 GREEN: 0.04

0.43%

19.62

WARANGAL 1) Textiles and Apparel, Leather and leather value added products. 2) Mineral-based and wood-based Industries

RED

RED:2.2%

ORANGE: 9.2% GREEN:1.9%

RED: 0.45

ORANGE: 1.94 GREEN:0.08

3%

289

Source: New Industrial Policy, 2014 * From Table 11 (2007) above. $ Table 12, # Table 13, & Table 13 (Figures in Bold letters show higher concentration)

From the above it is clear that more pollution load is going to be imposed on the highly

vulnerable and highly polluted districts of the state. This is in spite of a permanent ban

issued by the AP Government 15 years ago, on the establishment of polluting industries

within a one Km radius of industrial estates in Medak, Ranga Reddy, Mahboobnagar and

Nalgonda Districts. However, by going to court, these polluting industries have

managed to get stay orders on the plea that they would install the latest technology such

as Zero Liquid Discharge in their effluent treatment. Although a few have done so, a

large number have not, and continue to surreptitiously release their effluents into local

water bodies. [Pharma biz, 2014]

Our previous analysis has shown the extent of industrial pollution in the various

districts of Telangana, with Ranga Reddy I and II, and Medak topping the list in terms of

shares in concentration of polluting industries, hazardous waste generating industries,

and high level of non-compliance. In this scenario, the Industrial Policy 2014, plans to

impose more of the same type of polluting industries in these heavily polluted areas.

This will spell disaster to the ecology and economy of these districts, also affecting the

health of the local people.

Distributing Red industries across all districts of the state is also not a wise move,

environmentally. Districts like Adilabad and Khammam, which have high forest cover,

and districts with wild life reserves will be at risk, and fresh water sources, rivers and

lakes, as well as agriculture and livelihood of the population, will be affected by

industrial pollution. Already there are protests from villagers to the establishment of

22

thermal plants in different districts, as the people have rightly realised that their water,

fields, and air will be polluted by these plants. The local people and the tribes living in

these areas are also forced to vacate their villages, and most times they receive neither

compensation nor alternative land in exchange. [The Indian Express, 7th Oct 14].

Environmental Clearance:

Secondly, it should be noted that in a bid to give a fillip to industrial development, the

Industrial Policy 2014, seeks to grant single window clearance for all industries and

industrial parks. The Policy states that it would be the responsibility of the TSIIC to

obtain all basic statutory clearances for Industrial Parks from the appropriate

authorities like Land Conversion, Land Use, Layout approval and Environmental

Clearance from Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India. Also it

promises that all these clearances will be achieved within 30 days.

This is in contravention of the rules of the MOEF. For, CFO and CFE require in depth

study of industrial pollution creation and management, and the process takes at least 12

months, as mentioned above. 30-45 days are needed for the public hearing only. By

hastening the environmental clearance, there is every scope of diluting environmental

standards, pollution treatment, and control. With the bulk of new industries belonging

to the Red category, and with the low level of industrial compliance, such a move will

spell environmental disaster in the already polluted districts, as well as in the new areas

where these industries are to be established. The new PCB11 may be forced by influential

industries and political pressure to go easy on environmental regulations, which in the

long run will lead to ruin of the ecology and economy of the local areas and of the State.

Environmental features in the New Industrial Policy:

Only 2 out of 15 thrust areas are addressed to environmental issues.

1) Renewable Energy: the Policy states that it will provide incentives to both user

industry and the energy suppliers, to encourage investment in non-conventional

energy such as solar power. The State Government has called for bids for generation

of 500 MWs of solar power in all nine districts of Telangana. The Non-Conventional

Energy Development Corporation of AP (NEDCAP) is to procure 2,000 solar power

pump sets of 3 HP and 5 HP for Telangana. [The Times of India, Oct. 22, 2014]. This

is a good measure and move towards sustainable development.

23

2) Waste Management and Greener Technology:

(i) The Policy also envisages providing CETPs to all industrial parks. While this is a

good move, it is also necessary to ensure that the effluents are fully treated, and

the outflow achieves the CPCB standards. Experience of JETL and PETL have not

been encouraging. Stricter implementation and monitoring of industrial

pollution is required. However these are only “end-of the-pipeline” solutions, for

in the case of environmental degradation, prevention is better than cure, as many

environmental damages cannot be reversed. So it is better to eschew

establishment of more Red and Orange industries in the State.

(ii) Under the Specific Initiatives for 2014-15, the New Pharma-City and Chemical

City will be provided with well-developed infrastructure including waste

management. Again the onus lies with the new PCB to ensure that hazardous

wastes are managed carefully without further spoiling the environment.

(iii) Cleaner methods of production are to be encouraged under T-IDEA (Telangana

State Industrial Development and Entrepreneur Advancement). With the poor

record so far in implementation of CP, there is great need to ensure that all

industrial units do follow cleaner production methods.

(iv) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been made mandatory to companies

as per the India Companies Act, 2013. Companies should spend a minimum of

2% of their net profits on activities that benefit the community at large. Again it

found that most companies show a couple of health camps, painting

competitions, some tree planting and pass it off as CSR. CSR should give first and

foremost importance to pollution control and reduction, as well as to the type of

products and production method being followed. For example Dr. Reddy Labs,

with a sizeable CSR programme, has been constantly hauled up by the APPCB for

letting off its effluents into water streams in Jeedimetla, instead of sending them

to the CETP for treatment. [The Times of India, 9th Nov, 2013. The Hindu, 29th Jan,

2014]. CSR in education, tree planting, etc. cannot compensate industrial

pollution violations.

24

CONCLUSION:

The analysis of polluting industries shows that there is high concentration of Red and

Hazardous Waste Producing industries in Telangana. While there are a large number of

industrial pollution control laws and regulations, there is still a high degree of non-

compliance by industrial units. This has led to excessive environmental degradation

with its attendant impacts on the health of local people, livestock, agriculture, and

ecology of the surrounding areas.

The New Industrial Policy is encouraging the establishment of precisely the same type

of Red and HW industries in the state, and in the highly polluted districts. This will

worsen the environmental conditions, and affect both the ecology and economy of these

districts. The few Green initiatives undertaken cannot compensate for the huge

environmental problems that the establishment of polluting industries is going to

create.

Also, with the State Government keen on hastening industrial development by providing

quick clearances, will again add to the problems, as the Red industries will be pushed

through without proper pollution control and reduction methods in place. Cleaning up

after the event is useless, as most of the pollution impacts are irreversible.

Strict monitoring of pollution is essential. Stricter environmental regulations,

monitoring, and penalties will also help in reducing the environmental impact of

polluting industries that are already functioning in the State.

CETPs should not be collecting ponds of effluents of different factories. CSR should not

be merely cosmetic, hiding the pollution excesses of industrial units.

It is necessary to shift to more environmentally friendly technologies – such as bio-

fertilisers, pesticides, power from wastes, and so on, to ensure both economic and

environmental health of the State. If Government is keen on attaining Sustainable

development, then it should opt for setting up Green industries, such as bio-fertilisers

and pesticides, renewable energy rather than thermal energy, and not permit the

establishment of more Red industries such as Bulk Drugs, Cement, Chemicals,

Fertilisers, etc. However there seems to be no concerted move towards sustainable

development in the New Industrial Policy.

25

REFERENCES:

o APPCB website: www.appcb.ap.nic.in

o APPCB: Annual Report, 2008-09

o ASI summary report, 2011-12

o CPCB [2008]: Report on Incinerable Hazardous Wastes by the Operators of Common

Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities and Captive HW

incinerators, November www.cpcb.nic.in

o CPCB Report [2005]: Performance Status of Common Effluent Treatment Plants in

India, October. http://www.cpcb.nic.in/

o CPCB Annual Report [2006-07] http://www.cpcb.nic.in/

o CPCB: [2009] Report on National Inventory of Hazardous Wastes Generating

Industries & Hazardous Waste Management in India, CPCB website

o CPCB [2010]: Polluted River stretches in India, Criteria and Status.

http://www.cpcb.nic.in/

o CSE:[2004]http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Crisis/Groundwaterpollution.htm

o EMC, 2012, Situational Analysis of Environmental Compliance Status of Andhra

Pradesh. www.emcentre.com

o EPTRI: State of Environment Report of Andhra Pradesh, 2009, Hyderabad

o Greenpeace [2004]: State of Community Health at Medak District, October.

o National Productivity Council: http://www.npcindia.gov.in/contact.htm

o Panth, Prabha [2008]: The Economic Significance of Wastewater Management, a case

study of Bollaram Industrial Estate: Hyderabad. UGC Major Research Project Report,

unpublished, Osmania University, Hyderabad

o Panth, Prabha and R.A. Shastri: [2011] Regional Patterns in the Distribution of

Polluting Units, Indian Economy Review, July.

o Panth, Prabha [2012]: “Hazardous Wastes: Industrial Concentration and Pollution

Intensity in Andhra Pradesh” International Journal of Research In Computer

Application & Management, Volume no. 2, Issue no. 8 (August)

o Parikh, Kirti [2004]: India Development Report, IGIRD, Mumbai

o Parma biz.com [May 19, 2014]: AP Enforcement Department recommends action

against polluting industries in Hyderabad, A Raju, Hyderabad, Monday,

26

o Rao, K. V. Srinivasa et.al. [2007] “Temporal changes in groundwater quality in an

industrial area of Andhra Pradesh, India,” Current Science, vol. 93, no. 11, 10

December

o Report of the Working Group on “Effectively Integrating Industrial Growth and

Environment Sustainability” XII Plan

o The Deccan Chronicle: [Jan 20, 2014]: Bitter medicine for village, DC, Sudheer

Goutham

o The Deccan Chronicle[ April 30, 2008]: State asked to pay farmers hit by pollution.

o The Deccan Chronicle: [July, 5, 2014]: Drug units pollute water bodies.

o The Hindu: [29 Jan, 2014]: Pollution control board restricts production at Dr Reddy’s

unit, by G. Naga Sridhar

o The Times of India [Nov 9, 2013], PCB notice to Dr Reddy’s Laboratories for polluting

Hussainsagar by Koride Mahesh.

o The Indian Express [7th Oct 2014]: Power Plant threatens to dislodge tribals.

o The Times of India [22 Oct, 2014]: Telangana to give boost to solar energy.

1 Comprehensive Environmental Pollution Index (CEPI) system of environmental assessment of Industrial Clusters, was

evolved by the Central Pollution Control Board. Establishment of new industries or further capacity expansion of existing

industries shall not to be permitted in the Very Critically (CEPI 80 and above), and Critically polluted industrial clusters

(CEPI between 70 to 80). [CPCB, Annual report, 2010].

2 It has maintained this first position of non-compliance since the year 2000.

3 Mining, river valley, nuclear, thermal plants, chemicals, fertilisers, rubber, plastics, petroleum and its products,

pharmaceuticals, cement, foundries, metals, leather, etc.

4 Industrial pollution includes air, water, solid wastes, hazardous wastes, odours, noise, and vibrations. The ambient

environment surrounding industrial areas are periodically checked by the PCB, as well as the pollution control and disposal

methods of the industrial units. Ground and surface waters are tested for various chemical concentrations, ambient air quality

is also analysed. Disposal of solid and hazardous wastes are periodically checked by the PCB. Chronic violation of pollution

standards, and for not taking up pollution control measures, invites penalties.

5 State asked to pay farmers hit by pollution, The Deccan Chronicle, 30/04/2008

6 For example, 150 electroplating industries were shifted from Balanagar, Hyderabad, to Toopran in Medak district in 2014.

Similarly many drug units in Medak, were shifted to the Pharma city near Vizag.

7 National Water Quality Monitoring Programme, CPCB. [Polluted River stretches in India 2010]

8 Subject to the provisions in the Act, no person without the previous consent of the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)

can establish any industry, operation or process, or any treatment and disposal system or an extension or addition thereto

which is likely to discharge sewage or trade effluent into a stream or well or sewer or on land and have to apply to the SPCB

concerned to obtain the 'Consent to establish' as well as the 'Consent to operate' the industry after establishment. (MoEF

website, Water (Prevention and control) of Pollution Act 1974.

9 Industrial Hazardous Waste is defined by the Ministry of Environment and Forest as “any substance, excluding domestic

and radioactive waste, which because of its quantity and/or corrosive, reactive, ignitable, toxic and infectious characteristics

causes significant hazards to human health or environment when improperly treated, stored, transported and disposed off”

[MOEF rules 1989].

10 Khammam was classified along with Andhra Zone, but as it is part of Telangana, we include it here.

11 The Telangana State Pollution Control Board was constituted in July, 2014.