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Epidemiology test for city suggested by WHO
Visakhapatnam: Noted lawyer and environmentalist, Mr S. Niroop, has suggested that an epidemiology test should be conducted in the city to test the intensity of the pollution that has been affecting the people. The test is conducted by the World Health Organisation on the request of the state government. Mr Niroop was speaking at a meeting, Suraksha, a time-bound action plan to prevent pollution in the city, organised by Uttarandhra Rakshana Vedika, here on Wednesday
The lawyer, who shot into fame by getting compensation to the victims at Patancheru, said the quality of life was more important than the standard of life.
“The industries are not just the development index while the quality of
life is,” the environmentalist said adding that legal battles could be
fought against individual industries to control the levels of pollution.
Several speakers at the meet suggested filing of criminal cases against the erring industries.
The Congress MLA of Visakhapatnam South, Mr Dronamraju Srinivas, said
beyond a point he would quit his post and join the people’s movement to
fight against the pollution.
He said all the heritage structures in the Old Town area were being destroyed due to pollution and the people have been living under dangerous environment.
Former minister and senior Telugu Desam leader, Mr Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, said the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) and the Pharma City were spewing heavy pollution and the government is failing to regulate them.
He suggested that the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and
multi-national companies (MNCs) spend a part of their profits to
control the pollution.
The senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Mr J. Pruthvi Raj, said
Visakhapatnam Port was welcoming hazardous cargo rejected by other
ports.
The convener of the meet, Prof. R.V. Rama Rao, said an action-packed
and time-bound programme should be chalked out to bring pressure on the
government agencies to regulate pollution in the city.
The Vedika convener, Mr S.S. Shivashankar presided over the meet.
Some of the victims of pollution also spoke on the occasion.
Source:Deccan chronicle