KOPPAL: In Hirebaganal, villagers are gasping for breath. They allege pollution from the industrial units located in the vicinity has made them chronic respiratory patients. Almost all homes here are using nebulisers. During a recent gram sabha held in Koppal the villagers raised the issue with Deputy Commissioner Suresh Itnal and MLA Raghavendra Hitnal. The villagers pleaded with them for mercy death since the conditions, according to them, are unliveable.
Some of them showed the MLA and the DC how black ash coat their house walls, plants and other areas. The villagers said that despite numerous pleas with environment officers, there has been no crackdown on polluting industries. Mahesh, a villager, said, ”We request you to grant us mercy death as everyone is suffering from one or other disease.”
Hirebaganal is not alone in this plight. Surrounding villages in Koppal too are battling pollution. The villagers had held protests last year. Over the last year several people have left these villages. The DC said the administration has issued notices to five industries to close down apart from the notices served by the environment department to two industries.