(IN) Visakhapatnam - Eco groups sound the alarm

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Date:04/02/2008 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/04/stories/2008020458090300.htm

 

Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

 

Eco groups sound the alarm

 

Vow to launch a campaign to save city from imminent danger

 

 

Layouts at Rushikonda and nearby areas pose danger to panther habitat

 

Status report and citizens’ charter on environmental threat needed

 

 

 

VISAKHAPATNAM: Environment conscious people of the city have decided to

launch a campaign to save Visakhapatnam from imminent danger and expressed

concern over disturbance caused to panther habitat at Rushikonda and

Kapulauppada due to concrete jungle culture.

 

Wake-up call

 

 

The recent occurrence of yellow rain, suspected to be acid rain, at

Tagarapuvalasa due to “industrial pollution” was a matter of serious concern and

should be a wake-up call to authorities, speakers said at a round table meeting

held by the Vizag Journalists’ Forum on Sunday.

 

The meeting resolved to take up issues for protecting the city’s

environment by forming a pressure group through the Forum for Better Vizag

(FBV).

 

Initiating the discussion, environmentalist Prof. T. Shivaji Rao said

danger was lurking at the denizens as the city had no outlet for disbursal of

toxin pollutants.

 

Water crisis

 

 

He said it was unfortunate that people in high positions, including

elected representatives, were ecologically illiterate. Retired IAS officer and

FBV coordinator E.A.S. Sarma said 40 per cent of reservoirs like Raiwada and

Gambheeram had shrunk, and as per VUDA’s Master Plan for 2021, the city would

face a water crisis in future.

 

He said, due to environmental pollution, even Navy officials were no more

considering a posting in the city as an opportunity due to exposure to

respiratory problems. He said the implementation of the Coastal Regulation Zone

had become a casualty due to variety of reasons. The promotion of layouts at

Rushikonda and nearby areas was posing danger to panther habitat, he said.

 

Prof. S. Ramakrishna Rao of AU Engineering College underlined the need to

prepare a status report and citizens’ charter on Vizag’s environmental threat.

He said due to its location in a bowl area and a valley, there was no outlet to

escape in the event of a major catastrophe.

 

Waste disposal

 

 

Divisional Forest Officer Vijaykar expressed concern at not following

solid waste disposal with proper treatment at Kapulauppada and pointed out that

the authorities concerned should remember that the repercussions would be

unimaginable. He said micro-organism to elephants were vital parts of

eco-system.

 

He said to protect the ecology, Rushikonda, Yarada and other sensitive

areas should be declared as deemed forest and handed over to the Forest

Department for maintenance. He said there should be a people’s movement to save

the city from ecological threats.

 

Among others, Rebbapragda Ravi of Samata, Prof. E.U.B. Murthy of AU, Dr.

Rama Murthy of Dolphin Nature Conservation Society, J.C. Srirama Murthy of AP

Pollution Control Board, Pradeep Nath of Society for Prevention of Cruelty to

Animals, architect Y. Narasimha Rao and others spoke.

 

 

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