The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has leveled allegations of pollution against various bulk drug units manufacturing drugs in excess of the permitted quantities. The charges also include pharmaceutical firms responsible for unauthorised manufacture of these drugs. Despite permission being taken to manufacture a certain quantity and category of drugs, these units allegedly exceed the prescribed limit, by more than 30 per cent in certain cases. The huge amount of resultant effluents are not treated and the excess drugs, according to the APPCB, add to the pollution in the city.
Pharma companies, however, say that while the drug firms have to change their products due to business exigencies, the city’s pollution load is unaffected. They maintain that their Zero Process Liquid Discharge unit takes care of any increase in solid waste in a scientific and technical manner. Pharmaceutical firms claim they use sophisticated treatment facilities to solidify liquid waste through a vaporization process.
In fact, APPCB and various pharmaceutical companies have locked horns over this issue. It began with a plea filed in the AP High Court by Maa Telangana Party chief Veera Reddy. Twelve firms, including Dr Reddy’s Labs, Aurobindo Pharma, Divis Labs, Matrix Labs and Hetero Pharma, appealed against the pollution board’s orders to adhere to the permitted quantities. It is now being probed by a panel appointed by the Appellate Authority under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. “The committee shall submit its report within a period of eight weeks,” the appellate authority said in its order on March 31, 2012. The report is expected to be submitted by May 26.