HYDERABAD: Under the banner of Citizen for Farmers, several farmers and social activists from 11 districts in the State on Thursday came together to raise their voice against big pharmaceutical companies such as Piramal and Divis which are causing rampant pollution in the State.
Scores of villagers from Yadadri, Rangareddy, Sangareddy and other districts staged a protest holding banners and placards and raised slogans against "killer" pharma companies.
"While the government has formulated guidelines for waste disposal from pharmaceutical companies and rules exist, implementation is really weak on the ground. Waste coming out of pharmaceutical companies is hazardous in many ways. Due to this, several people in different parts of the State are facing health issues. Animal husbandry and agriculture are getting badly affected due to the contamination of soil and water by pharma waste. To raise our voice against this inhuman malpractice we have come together," said environmental activist Prof K Purushotham Reddy.
Both locals and activists demanded swift and robust government action against pharma companies in the State and stricter laws to curb pharmaceutical pollution that is ‘slowly killing many’.