Visakhapatnam air pollution: MLAs demand stringent measures from government
Visakhapatnam — Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) from Visakhapatnam have urged the Andhra Pradesh government to take immediate and firm action to control rising air pollution in the city, with particular focus on emissions from the Visakhapatnam Port and nearby industrial units.
Visakhapatnam South MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas expressed serious concern over the deteriorating air quality, noting that thick layers of pollutants are visibly present in the air during the morning hours. He said public agitations had already taken place over pollution-related issues. The MLA alleged that some private operators at the port were not following adequate dust-control measures and were violating prescribed norms. He stated that loading and unloading of iron ore and coal was not being handled properly, and that vehicles transporting these materials were often not fully covered with tarpaulins, leading to dust release into the atmosphere.
Mr. Srinivas called for strengthening green belts around the port and industrial areas, and suggested that the government examine the feasibility of underground storage systems for bulk materials. He also emphasised the need to increase the number of closed godowns to prevent dust dispersal. While noting that water sprinkling was being done to control dust on roads, he pointed out that dust settles on vehicle tyres and gets carried to other city roads, spreading pollution. He urged Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to personally visit the port area and assess the situation.
Bheemunipatnam MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao said the port was only one of several sources contributing to air pollution in Visakhapatnam. He added that industrial units, pharmaceutical companies and vehicular emissions were also major contributors. Referring to various reports, he claimed that pollution levels in Visakhapatnam were worse than in Delhi. He drew attention to the severity of the issue by saying that a person wearing a white shirt while travelling through the One Town area in the morning could find it turning black by the end of the journey due to dust and pollution. He stressed the need to strengthen the manpower and monitoring capacity of the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB).
Mr. Srinivasa Rao warned that if the government failed to give adequate attention to the issue, residents could become increasingly concerned about the city’s environmental conditions in the coming years. He also suggested that future permissions for industrial projects should be linked to clear commitments on green-cover development and maintenance.
Visakhapatnam West MLA P.G.V.R. Naidu, also known as Gana Babu, expressed concern over the worsening air quality and called for stringent measures to control pollution from various sources.
Replying to the concerns raised by the MLAs, Minister Nadendla Manohar said the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) had been instructed to install additional dust suppression systems, set up real-time air quality monitoring stations and improve green belts in the port area. He acknowledged that cargo-handling operations, vehicle movement and road dust contribute to the deterioration of air quality in the port area. The minister also referred to a recent meeting held to review the city’s air quality.
