RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: An alarming environmental situation is unfolding along the eastern delta canal near the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, as unchecked garbage dumping continues to pollute a vital water source feeding the Godavari River.
The growing negligence of local authorities has sparked serious concerns over public health, ecological balance, and governance failure.
Panchayat sanitation workers have reportedly been dumping solid waste along canal embankments for months.
Much of this waste is either burnt in the open or pushed directly into the canal, eventually contaminating the river waters downstream.
The canal network plays a critical role in supplying irrigation and drinking water to nearly 10 lakh acres, making the pollution a matter of grave urgency.
What has raised eyebrows is the proximity of key administrative offices to the affected stretch. Several district-level government offices, including those linked to irrigation management, operate within close range. Officials attribute the issue to the absence of a designated dumping yard for Dowleswaram Major Panchayat, citing prolonged land disputes as the primary obstacle.
However, residents argue that administrative delays cannot justify the degradation of such an essential water system.
The situation worsens during water releases from the barrage, which carry accumulated waste downstream, damaging aquatic ecosystems and impacting fish populations.
Reports also suggest that garbage dumped on canal bunds is being pushed into the water using heavy machinery at night, narrowing the canal and obstructing water flow.
Local residents and environmentalists are questioning how such large-scale pollution continues unchecked.
Dowleswaram Panchayat Secretary Venkata Rao has assured that the waste will be cleared within two days and relocated to a dumping site near Bommuru. However, skepticism remains high, with locals demanding immediate and sustained corrective measures to prevent long-term environmental damage.