The Telangana government has defended the Hyderabad Industrial Land Transformation (HILT) policy, aiming to reduce pollution in the state capital and protect it from environmental crises by relocating polluting industries out of the city. Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu emphasized that the initiative, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, is crucial for ensuring a clean and sustainable future for upcoming generations. He addressed opposition allegations of a hidden agenda behind the policy, clarifying that it goes beyond mere land transformation and focuses on securing a healthy foundation for children and future citizens.
Sridhar Babu stressed the current generation’s responsibility to safeguard natural resources for the future, highlighting that the policy’s goal extends beyond altering revenue records. The government’s commitment lies in moving industries beyond the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to provide clean air and water for children and future generations. He traced Hyderabad’s industrial evolution since the 1970s, when areas like Balanagar and Sanathnagar were designated as industrial zones, far from residential spaces, which has drastically changed over the years with urban expansion.
The minister pointed out the alarming proximity of residential buildings to industrial facilities, emphasizing the disappearance of a buffer zone between them, posing a significant health risk. The absence of the main opposition party during the discussion on the HILT policy was noted, with allegations from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) claiming the government’s sale of industrial land worth nearly Rs 5 lakh crore. BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao accused the government of reallocating industrial lands for residential and commercial purposes, rather than promoting industrial growth.
