KHAMMAM: Environmental activists have raised objection over the amended conditions of Environmental Clearance granted to Hyderabad Pharma City project by the Expert Appraisal Committee of Ministry of Environment and Forests. This allows the usage of coal for boilers in pharmaceutical companies that will come up there.
They have demanded that the conditions should include usage of Flue Gas Desulfarization and De-NOx in the boilers to limit pollution due to burning of coal. Speaking to the media on Monday, retired IICT scientist and environmentalist, Dr K Babu Rao, pointed out how burning coal in thermal power plants is a major cause of air pollution, including the release of greenhouse gases in the air.
He said that if all pharmaceutical units city spread over 19,333 acres in Yacharam, burn coal, it would cause serious environmental problems. He said that like thermal power plants, even these units should be mandated to put measures to restrict the emissions. Dr Rao also raised objection to the amendment in EC conditions, allowing a Common Effluent Treatment Plant(ETP), rather than mandating that each pharmaceutical unit to have an ETP.