Hyderabad: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), in a report to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), has flagged alarming levels of toxic heavy metals in the fly ash released from Hyderabad’s Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plants at Jawaharnagar and Dundigal.
The report stated that cadmium concentrations at the Jawaharnagar WTE plant stood at 858.65 mg/kg, 1,073 times more than the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) safe limit of 0.8 mg/kg.
At Dundigal, the cadmium levels were even higher at 956.69 mg/kg, 1,195 times more than WHO standards. Chromium concentrations were also found to be far above the permissible limits.
Days after these findings raised serious health and environmental concerns, the Hyderabad Integrated Municipal Solid Waste Limited (HIMSW) on Sunday, September 21, refuted the allegations, stating that the “ash generated from the WTE operations are non-hazardous,” reported TNIE.
“Fly ash in our WTE plants is captured through advanced flue gas cleaning systems, where flue gases are treated with lime to neutralise acidic gases and baghouse filters collect particulate matter. The collected fly ash is safely disposed of in secured, lined landfills in full compliance with prescribed standards,” HIMSW stated.
Residents raise concerns
Meanwhile, local residents and activists have a different story to tell. Many have been raising health concerns from the WTE plant and adjacent landfill for a very long time.
Several have also complained of respiratory diseases and unsafe living conditions. A recent fact-finding report also pointed at air, water and land pollution directly affecting local livelihoods.
The disclosures come at a time amid nationwide protests underway against the reclassification of WTE incinerators from the “Red Category” to “Blue Category” industries.
Activists alleged that this move is an attempt to downplay their hazardous nature. Critics also argue that despite these WTEs emitting highly toxic pollutants, they are being portrayed as providers of “essential environmental services,” misleading the people.
Asha Kama from Climate Front Hyderabad alleged that instead of using the ash for the purpose of brick-manufacturing or dispatching it to safe landfill, it is being dumped to the Jawaharnagar landfill area. “It is contaminating our air, water, and soil, endangering lakhs of citizens’ health, and exacerbating climate change with carbon emissions and methane leaks due to poor handling of waste,” she added.
Community organisations have urged the Telangana Pollution Control Board to immediately suspend operations of the Hyderabad WTE plants until proper disposal standards are enforced, and also urged for an independent inquiry and imposing environmental compensation on the operators.
Activists have also urged the Telangana government to review its plans to expand WTE projects across the state and instead look into systemic waste management reforms, which includes curbing single-use plastics, ensuring strict source segregation, and adopting decentralised waste management approaches.
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