Dirtiest places on Earth in Andhra : Clean up a big challenge?

By U Sudhakar Reddy


With concerns about polluted environments growing and the Centre identifying several industrial clusters across the country that pose an unacceptably high risk to human health, cleaning up some of the worst areas is a big challenge for the authorities. The Centre has identified five industrials clusters - Vishakapatnam, Patan-cheru-Bollarum, Katedan, Kukatpally, and Vijayawada - to be highly polluted in the state and at least 20 major lakes in Hyderabad are in the category of most contaminated sites.
The Centre has sanctioned a two-year pilot project funded by the World Bank for two areas, Noor Mohammed Kunta lake in Hyderabad and Ukkayapalli in Kadapa. The Environment and Social Assessment study conducted in these areas with the assistance of the ministry of environment has revealed some shocking facts.
Lakes, industrial cluster areas, municipal dumping yards, and bio-medical waste sites are considered to be the dirtiest places. Environmentalists and health experts say it is not an easy task to clean up highly polluted areas as the ground and surface water are highly contaminated as is the soil.
Quantities of hazardous wastes are illegally dumped outside industrial estates, on abandoned public lands, and within privately owned lands. There are no estimates available with the State Pollution Control Board regarding the quantity and nature of the hazardous wastes in such dumps.
The AP Pollution Control Board (APPCB) has dug up the health records of people living around NM Kunta lake and five others inter-connected lakes including Mir Alam Tank situated in and around the Katedan Industrial Area in Rajendranagar. The records show that people living around these areas suffer from air pollution related health problems. Asthma, difficulty in breathing and vomiting are often experienced and get worse during the rainy season.
Mr A. Muralidhar, a resident of Katedan says, “The foul smell intensifies during the evening hours after 7 pm every day and the worst time is the rainy season.” Of the 600 industrial units in Katedan, 16 per cent are lead extraction units, 13 per cent are oil refining, 10 per cent are cement industries and 8 per cent are textile industries. None of these industries has their own effluent treatment plant and instead discharge untreated effluents into the NM Kunta lake.
Both surface and ground water quality has deteriorated due to discharge of untreated industrial effluents. Total Dissolve Solids (TDS) in the ground water sample was 2,924 to 3,280 mg per litre, way above the permissible limit of 2,000 mg/l. The hardness of the ground water sample was also significantly higher than the desirable limit of 300 mg/l and the permissible limit of 500 mg/l. Chlorides and sulphates in the ground water were also in excess of the desired limits. The APPCB found various heavy metals in the lake water. Cadmium concentration exceeded desirable limits and lead and copper levels too were high.
Borewell water in the monsoon season showed significant concentration of lead and soil samples showed high levels of heavy metals. Industrial units in Katedan generate more than 200 MT of solid waste every month out of which 70 MT or 37 per cent is hazardous solid waste. Around 14 per cent of people still depend on borewell, water which exposes them to significant health risks from all these pollutants.
The APPCB senior engineer, Mr N.V. Bhaskar Rao, claims that the Board has stopped the source of pollution at Noor Mohammed Kunta. “The textile industries are responsible for the heavy pollution at NM Kunta which we have closed down. Now we are working on remedies,” he said.
Dr S. Krishna of Netaji Nagar says that skin diseases are the major problem for people living near the lake. Diarrhoea, jaundice and asthma are very common. Dr Sitaram of Sriramnagar has treated several cases of hepatitis-B, dysentery, typhoid, malaria and asthma, which increases during the rainy season.
Doctors say it is essential to stop the burning of solid waste, and supply safe piped drinking water to all residents. The project to be taken up with World Bank funds is expected to provide a blueprint for how all such projects should be handled to ensure environmental and social sustainability

Animal toxicity tests must on Ayurveda drugs: AP government

U Sudhakar Reddy
State government has made animal toxicity tests mandatory for export oriented Ayurveda drugs containing metals. Health Department has issued guidelines to Ayurveda drug makers in this regard.
As part of streamlining the system for licensing of patent and proprietary products of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines government earlier formed an expert committee which prepared guidelines.
As per the government order any metal or Rasa preparations should be subjected to animal toxicity for the export oriented products.
Pharmacopoeia guidelines should be followed for the formulations to be exported.
Health department said authentic purifying procedures of the drugs belonging to the group of rasas, maha rasas, dhatus(metals) should be strictly followed and procedure should be specified.
Government made clinical trials mandatory for the ayurveda drug makers.
"The proforma, utilised in the clinical trials of the formulation should be provided with the clinical reports copies. Reports of bio chemical investigation related to the patient population should be enclosed in the
clinical study," said a health official.
The ingredients pertaining to the formulation should be only from those mentioned in schedule one of Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
As per the new rule the ayurveda drug makers shall submit the chemical analysis reports along with data and photos as evidence pertain to the process. Report shall be provided from government or
State government approve or own laboratories. The label 'Heavy metals with in permissible limits' shall be
conspicuously displayed on the container of purely herbal and ayurvedic rugs. Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers who do not have in house laboratory facility shall get their drugs tested by any approved
drug testing laboratory.

Alligator weed a health hazard: Seema Thotakura or Ponneganti

By U Sudhakar Reddy
A popular green leafy vegetable in the city, the alligator weed, vernacularly known as Seema thotakura or Seema ponneganti widely sold in vegetable markets is a serious health hazard warns scientists of Forestry and Ecology Division of National Remote Sensing Agency.
Scientists say there is no record of the cultivation of alligator as vegetable crop in the State. It is an alien species of weed picked up from Hussain Sagar, Musi River and other polluted bodies in the city and outskirts by vegetable sellers.Accumulated heavy metals like Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Chromium and Copper cause serious health problem to those who consume vegetables says Dr Chintala Sudhakar
Reddy of NRSA.
Following the finding scientists are now asking the State government to ban the consumption of alligator weed immediately.Dr Reddy said ,"It is predominantly found growing in polluted waters in urban waterways,
drainage, margins of lakes and sewage sludge of rivers. Alligator weed is collected from these water bodies and sold in the vegetables mandis and Monda Market. As it tastes delicious the consumption is increasing in Hyderabad and other urban areas. It was native to South America and alien to India. Alligator absorbs heavy metals from water. It can cause serious health problems to people who consume it as vegetable. These
plants accumulate pollutants in their roots, stems and leaves,"
Bio-accumulation factors of heavy metals were significantly higher for leafy than for non- leafy vegetable. Though the Alligator is useful to clean up the polluted waters it is dangerous for human consumption.
"the leafy vegetable suck up pollution, people eating them may ingest the metals which can be harmful," said Dr Sudhakar Reddy.
He added ,"this should be banned like Cat fish sale and consumption was banned and government should take up steps for its control in natural and aquatic habitats,"
Government earlier banned Cat Fish a weed fish that resembles murrel as it's consumption spreads diseases.
Indian Medical Association State president Dr N Kishore said ,"heavy metals when ingested cause serious health hazards and is poisons to human body. It affects lungs, cerebral system including brain and intestine and stomach and other body organs. So people should not consume such leafy vegetable like Alligator weed as suggested by the scientists,"

Maoists and cops techwarfare : Naxals has LMGs

By U Sudhakar Reddy
The technological war between the CPI Maoists and State police is heating up. To counter the technological wing of CPI Maoists which have been operating almost for a decade State police have recently set up a tech wing headed by a Superintendent of Police.
The tech wing part of Special Intelligence Branch mainly aims at collection of information and countering the Naxal technology by using latest communication tapping equipment and sniffer software to track e-mails.
The tech wing of SIB is also involved in analysing the communication equipment recovered from the Maoist dumps.
The tech wing of Maoists have developed rocket launcher technology indigenously and also played crucial in setting up the arms making factory in Dandakaranya of Chattisgarh.
 A senior official of State Police Headquarters said ,"we have Superintendents of Police to gather intelligence from each region. Like Maoists have a Special Zonal Committee for Andhra Orissa Border and we have two separate Superintendents of Police known as SP(AOB) who exclusively deals with the intelligence gathering from AOB. As well as SPs for Nallamala-Rayalaseema and for Telangana. So similarly we have a tech wing headed by an SP. We are also getting ready for anticipated cyberwar in future with the Maoists,"
Maoists have the latest weapons in their armoury including the Universal Machine Guns sources said.
 "They have looted several of the modern sophisticated weapons in Orissa incidents. They have now LMG(Light Machine Guns) as well as Medium Machine Guns and UMGs.
 Th firepower of Maoists is on par with the police. They are using the latest computers, laptops and electronic gadgets," said the senior police official.
The document of Maoists also speaks about carrying the cyberwarfare and intercepting and hacking the communication of police. The document says youth with IT knowledge and hacking abilities have to be recruited into the part. Tech Madhu alias Sreenivas Reddy who was heading the technical wing of Maoists gave up the arms earlier. The technological wing of Maoists keep themselves updated with the
latest warfare all over the world. In Nayagarh raids in Orissa in 2008 Naxals made away with 1100 weapons including AK- 47s, INSAS and SLRs and other sophisticated equipment and one lakh bullets.
In similar raids on Koraput town in February 2004, more than 525 weapons were snatch The police official said ,"they have both crude made in their factories and latest weapons looted from security forces. Maoists have developed crude rocket launchers.

Viqar's confession to Hyderabad police: Tried to kill Gujarat CM Narendra Modi

By Udumula Sudhakar Reddy
Terror suspect and Tehreek Galbha E Islam founder Viqar Ahmed in his confession to police said that he planned 26/11 type attack on December 6 in 2010( black day) by using AK-47 and other sophisticated weapons.
He was on the mission of collecting Rs 25 lakh for the project and was aiming to target the Sangh Parivar leaders and establishments. In his confession Viqar said that he met the controversial cleric Moulana
Naseruddin who is already facing several terror related cases in AP and Gujarat on June 14 and sought his blessings for the attacks.
In the confession Viqar said that he had asked Rs 5 lakh from Moulana Naseruddin for which he had accepted to provide financial help and gave Rs 5000 as an advance. In the confession Viqar also told police that he had attempted to kill Gujarat Chief Minister Mr Narendra Modi during the inauguration of Ramol Chowk Police Station. After seeing National Security Guards and other security staff he had withdrawn from the place. “ I was at the PS inauguration armed with the weapons. I thought it would not be easy to eliminate Modi with small weapons and decided to procure AK-47. I also planned to kill him in the guise of news reporters and made ID cards,” Viqar told to police. Police seized the fake ID cards of Zee news, Star News in which it was written that his name as Imran and designation as crime reporter.
Police also seized CDs and pen drives from the accused in which the sketches of city police stations, BJP leaders’ biodatas, hate speeches of Sayeed of Pakistan, Ayodha makeshift temple video, VHP leader Praveen Togadias details. The CDs seized from another suspect Riyaz also contained details of TGI logos, small arms training techniques.
Viqar confessed to police that he has connections with Indian Mujahideen and SIMI activists. As the two organizations have become inactive he want to use the ex DJS and Ex SIMI cadres for strengthening TGI. He had contacted Safdar Nagori of SIMI through one Jaber. Police said Viqar always wanted to keep the incident of Macca Masjid blast and firing afresh and wanted to commit offence on every anniversary.

Viqar prepared death note of city jeweler
TGI associated lead by Viqar targeted Bhavsagar a jeweler who hosted VHP leader Praveen Bhai Togadia meeting recently in the city. Viqar who conducted recce went to Sagar Bhai Jewellers at Motinagar in Borabanda in the city to kill Bhavsagar and to loot the shop in June 2010. As Bhavsagar was not at the shop he left the place and postponed the assassination. Police said that the Viqar had prepared a CD in the name of TGI that they killed Bhavsagar as he was hosted Praveen Togadia’s meeting in the city that spread communal hatred. Police seized the same.
“he had prepared the CD and was very confidence of eliminating Bhavsagar as this didn’t happen he had kept the CD with him,” said a police official.
Other suspects Riyaz and others confessed that they were given training in combat techniques which were downloaded from internet that are used by Mossad like Krav Maga marshal arts.
Viqar allegedly trained them in Chilkalaguda Idgah in combat techniques. Viqar also conducted recce for looting a foreighn exchange shop at Abids and to rob foreign currency. “I was very agitated after Macca Majsid blast and floated TGI in 2007,” Viqar told police.

Viqar was inspired by ‘Aankhen’ movie
Viqar told police in the interrogation that he was inspired by Aankhen movie starring Amitab Bacchan and Akshay Kumar. He said that he saw the movie several times and wanted to form a team to commit robberies. Viqar was named in 12 offences including two in Gujarat. Five cases of e-seva robberies, two cases of two wheeler thefts one at Uppal and other in Gujarat, Four cases of attacks on police and a case of robbery of HDFC bank were booked against him. Viqar initially purchased air guns in 2003 from Marfoof Armoury in MJ Market and teamed up with one Shameem Omar of Azampura who is still absconding. Shameem Omar along with the Viqar robbed E seva centre in Malakpet and Santoshnagar using air gun. With the cash they looted they purchased a England made and US made 7.65 mm pistols from Jhansi
and Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh. On June 7 in 2010 he had committed theft of scooter in Uppal police station limits and another automobile theft in Kagdapith PS limits in Ahmedabad and killing of constable Vinay in
Mananinagar. It was his associated Suleman alias Amjad who accompanied him to UP to purchase the weapons. He also took part in several robberies committed by Viqar.
During his stay in Ahmedabad with the help of local politician Zubair Viqar could get a plot in government land and constructed a room in t. He had shifted all his operations into the room.
Viqar confessed to police that he was inspired by the book written by Maulana Aleem Islahi of Saidabad on martyrs. Police said that the Viqar confessed that it was mentioned in the book that the terror suspect Fasiuddin is a martyr. Fasiuddin of Nalgonda is a terror suspect who was killed in police encounter. Viqar also mentioned that he had differed with DJS chief Mahbub Ali over the Macca Masjid blasts. “DJS chief was opining that it was handiwork of Shahed Bilal but I told him Sangh Parivar is involved. I differed from DJS on this,” Viqar told police.
Viqar had downloaded literature related to Jihad from Al-Nusra and Al furkhan websites. Viqar told police that he used his laptop to make letters and the logo was designed on the lines of Indian Mujahideen.
He came to city three days prior to Falkanuma incident from Ahmedabad and struck.
Viqar confessed to police that Dr Haneef and others were with him from 2008.