Fishermen protest against Hetero Pipeline continues

Visakhapatnam: TENSE moments were witnessed at the protest camp of fishermen near Nakkapalli in Visakhapatnam district as police sought information on damage caused to part of a pipeline laid by Hetero Drugs on Wednesday.

Fishermen from eight coastal villages including Bangaraipeta, DL Puram, Amalapuram, Boyyapadu, Rajaiahpeta, Dondavaka, Peda Pinnarala and China Pinnarala are on agitation against laying of a second pipeline by the Hetero management allegedly to discharge effluents into the Bay of Bengal. Their protest entered the 22nd day on Wednesday.

The villagers have been complaining of groundwater contamination, termination of pregnancy and stillborn babies, dizziness, respiratory problems, irregular heart beat, anemia, headache and tremors ever since pharma units started functioning at the Hetero SEZ and non-SEZ area at Nakkapalli.

"Without taking consent from the villagers by holding grama sabhas, permission from the Coastal Regulation Zone authorities and the revenue officials, the management wanted to lay a three-foot wide pipeline. After the fishermen noticed it and protested, they abstained from continuing the pipeline-laying work," Kambalu Amoria, Matsyakarula JAC State president told Bizz Buzz.

JAC vice-president Meriga Korlaiah and Hetero Pipeline Vyatireka Porata Samiti convener M Appala Raju said the management allegedly tried to damage the new pipeline and shift the blame on them to create division among the protesters. "We are holding the dharna in a peaceful manner and do not want to take law into our hands," they declared.

A team from the Human Rights Forum (HRF) recently said the Narsipatnam RDO visited the affected areas and observed that the pipeline-laying was 'improper.'

The company had laid a six inch wide pipeline for about three km to meet its requirement. Now due to its expansion, it might have tried to opt for another pipeline, the villagers feel.

According to official sources, Hetero Infrastructure SEZ Ltd was set up in 2007 at Nakkapalli, about 80 km from here. It exports multiple pharmaceutical products. It is into production of over 100 products for multiple therapeutic use such as antiretroviral Efavirenz, Lamivudine, Zidovudine, Tenofovir and Nevirapine. The SEZ, which is spread over 250 acres, has three units namely, Hetero Drugs Ltd Unit-IX, Hetero Labs Ltd Unit-IX and Honour Lab Ltd. It provides employment to over 3500.