The expansion works of the third unit of Divi's Labs in Bheemunipatnam mandal of Visakhapatnam district should be immediately halted, as the company management is not taking adequate pollution control measures and public hearing has also not been conducted, according to the district unit of the CPM.

Ch. Narasinga Rao, a member of the state executive of the CPM, and K. Lokanadham, the CPM district general secretary, said here on Friday that more than 16,000 people in ten villages in the vicinity of the plant were suffering great hardship due to the pollution caused by the Divi's Labs. Groundwater in the area had been contaminated and there was air pollution as well, making life hell for the public in the neighbourhood. The fish catch was also declining in the area and many fishermen were migrating to other areas, they said.

The two leaders further accused the company of going ahead with the expansion works without a public hearing and acquiring huge chunks of land for the company by adopting questionable methods. Assigned lands of the poor, measuring 43.18 acres, were taken back from them and reassigned to the company by the State Government at G. Chodavaram village in Vizianagaram district and the company had also bought 99 acres from the Mansas Trust in violation of the rules for its expansion purposes. A probe should be conducted into these transactions, the party leaders demanded.

They said more than 7,000 persons were working in the unit but the company was not employing locals on a permanent basis, and only a few low-paid, contract jobs were given to the locals. The company was also not spending the CSR funds in the area, they alleged. Extending support to the agitation of the local public, the party leaders said it would be intensified, if the Government did not address the issue immediately.

The pharma unit manufactures active pharma ingredients (APIs) and intermediates for generic drugs.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

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