Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan expressed dissatisfaction with officials for neglecting their duties in preventing pollution in the Godavari River. He personally visited areas in East Godavari district to assess the pollution caused by effluents entering the river. Specifically, he inspected the pollution from Andhra Paper Mills in Rajamahendravaram and noted the discharge of polluted water into lagoons in East Lanka.
Pawan Kalyan took immediate action by having officials collect soil and water samples for testing on-site using mobile kits. Upon confirming the presence of pollutants, he directed the issuance of notices to the industry for violating environmental regulations. He also inquired about the accumulation of water hyacinth in the lagoons and questioned the lack of responsibility shown by industries towards environmental protection.
Expressing his disappointment, the Deputy Chief Minister questioned the Pollution Control Board officials for not issuing notices to Andhra Paper Mills despite the significant pollution discharge. He also raised concerns about the industry’s outstanding dues of Rs 13 crore to the government. Pawan Kalyan emphasized the importance of strict adherence to pollution control regulations by all industries and urged officials to report any ground-level issues for resolution by the government.
The Deputy CM announced the formation of a task force to monitor pollution in the Godavari River, accompanied by Ministers Nadendla Manohar, Kandula Durgesh, and local MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary.
