Industrial pollution in Hyderabad is causing water pollution and could turn the city into another ‘Minamata’, according to doctors and researchers. They have found that various heavy metals and chemical compounds, such as lead and mercury, are causing different diseases in the city. The disease Minamata, which occurred in Japan, was caused by the release of mercury into the waters from a chemical factory. It affected people who consumed fish from Minamata bay and caused neurological symptoms, insanity, paralysis, and death.
The latest research in Durgam Cheruvu has revealed that there are 183 compounds in the water bodies, including pharmaceuticals, herbicides, pesticides, hormones, and plasticisers. Veterinary medications, narcotic pharmaceuticals, painkillers, and other drugs were found to be prevalent in the lake samples, indicating the discharge of wastewater from domestic and industrial sources.
A round table conference called ‘Toxicity in city’ was organized by Dr. Praveen at CESS in Begumpet. It was attended by various doctors, researchers, and retired public servants. They discovered that industry has produced over 81,000 synthetic chemicals since 1930, including lead, mercury, benzene, pesticides, and food additives. The government needs to acknowledge the serious public health problem of heavy metals and find appropriate solutions.
