“Pollution in this area makes life hell for residents. There is no pure air to breathe. We very often suffer from cough, allergies, skin rashes and fevers,” Jyoti says pointing at coal dust accumulated at various places in front of the shop.
Link to the article @ The Hindu
Jyoti, seventh standard student of Fort Catholic Girls’
School, sits at the pan kiosk whenever she is free to support her
mother to eke out a living. The shop has a thick layer of dust. Her feelings reflect the mood, by
and large, of the residents of Old Town, once the main hub of
Visakhapatnam. Contacted at random by a team from The Hindu, many
belonging to Kota Veedhi, Vada Veedhi, Soldierpet and other areas said
they were suffering a lot due to pollution though the impact has come
down to some extent.
Mechanisation of some berths,
construction of a soccer-stadium-type wall around the dusty cargo
handling areas and sprinkling system to prevent flying of coal and iron
dust by air are cited as some of the reasons for reduction of pollution
to some extent. “It’s better than the past but it will be good if the port stops pollution for good,” said Joseph, a welder in Bothra Company.
Seething
with anger over pollution, some of the sufferers said they would not
allow the candidates to canvass in their areas seeking vote for them.
“We will support only those who pledge to fight against port pollution,”
said B. Raju, contract worker of a bank. “They (port officials) are
asking us to vacate and take alternative land from the port. Where will
we go? We were born and brought up here,” he said.
Lavanya,
10 standard student from Shining Star Little Garden School, said “our
quality of life will improve if steps are taken to stop pollution.”
Adilakshmi, a home-maker, said pollution of any kind was nothing but slow-poisoning. Hence, many like Lavanya look for good days ahead by containing pollution completely.
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