Fishermen Most Affected By Industrial Pollution
Published: 24th April 2014 08:24 AM | Last Updated: 24th April 2014 08:38 AM | A+A A-
Kakinada Rural constituency, which came into existence during 2009 elections as part of reorganisation process, lacks development despite its close proximity to Kakinada town. People face severe problems due to industrial pollution, lack of drinking water and inundation of low-lying areas during monsoon.
Many of the industries located in Kakinada Rural mandal fall under the jurisdiction of the Kakinada Rural Assembly segment. The pollution and effluents from these industries have become major health hazards for the people in the constituency.
Fishermen are the worst affected due to pollution as they not only are exposed to the dangerous health hazards but also stand to lose their livelihood due to contaminated waters.
Oil packaging industries, fertiliser manufacturing units, chemical industries and others are adding to the pollution and creating panic among the residents of the locality.
Frequent leakages of petroleum oil, LPG and ammonia from the pipelines and fire mishaps in the industries have become a common sight in the mandal.
The local MLA and the officials of the Pollution Control Board (PCB) have failed to combat the problems arising due to such leakages.
Many of the industries located in the constituency elease their effluents into open drains which finally get deposited into the sea resulting in the destruction of the marine wealth.
Meanwhile, people in villages like Turngi, Subbaraopeta, harbourpeta, Vakalapudi, Valasapakala, Indrapalem and Cheediga suffer from lack of potable water. Residents of Karapa and other mandals have been demanding proper medical facilities. Many areas in villages like Cheediga, Swamy Nagar, Ramanaiahpeta, Sarpavaram and Timmapuram face the problem of inundation.