Chemical stench, contaminated water set alarm bells ringing in Bachupally; residents suffer skin and neuro problems

Hyderabad: Bachupally, one of Hyderabad’s fastest-growing residential clusters with an estimated population of nearly one lakh people, is facing a multi-layered environmental crisis.

Residents across Synergy Hilltop, Tanvi Hills, Sai Anurag Colony, Praneeth, and Hill County report chemical odour at night, respiratory problems, dust pollution, and contaminated borewell water.

Multiple complaints have led to inspections and closure orders issued by the Telangana Pollution Control Board (PCB) against Rahul Barium Salts, a chemical-processing unit located only 70 metres from residential apartments.

Alongside industrial emissions, residents say the prolonged delay in the Bachupally flyover, damaged roads, dust from construction, and unregulated dumping are accelerating an already deteriorating air-quality situation.

This ground report combines field accounts, official documents, citizen testimonies, and RWA responses.

Sources of pollution: what residents identify as the top 5 causes

1. Industrial air emissions (primary factor)

Field visits and PCB inspection reports show elevated levels of PM10, VOCs, and SPM emissions in Bachupally.

The PCB’s March–May 2025 investigation at Synergy Hilltop revealed:

• PM10 levels consistently above 100 µg/m³ (standard = 100 µg/m³)

• 24-hour average recorded: 126 µg/m³

• Stack emissions of SPM at 127 mg/Nm³ vs permissible 115 mg/Nm³

• Fugitive emissions observed at factories

• VOCs are detectable at multiple points of the residential complex

• Industries using petcoke, wood, and coal without full pollution-control equipment

• At least three evaporation bhattis operating without scrubbers

• No digital water-flow meters, poor housekeeping, and expired bank guarantees

What residents say

Lakshmi R, a resident of Tanvi Hills, speaking to NewsMeter, said, “The smell comes after 9 pm. It burns the eyes. We close all windows, but the odour enters the house. Some nights, the air has a metallic taste. My children have developed a chronic cough in the past six months.”

2. Industrial waste & groundwater contamination

The PCB’s borewell sample collected at Synergy Hilltop (March 2025) showed:

• TDS: 5122 mg/l (standard: 500–2000 mg/l)

• Chlorides: 2440 mg/l (standard: 250–1000 mg/l)

• Sulphates: 439 mg/l

• Hardness: 3090 mg/l

• COD: 111 mg/l

These exceed drinking-water norms.

RWA Vice President, Tanvi Hills, Vamsikrishna Mallempati, speaking to Newsmeter states, “We stopped using borewell water even for cleaning. Residents buy cans for everything because contamination is evident. Earlier, the water was sweet. Now it smells like chemicals. Something has changed drastically in the last three years.”

3. Delay in Bachupally flyover construction

The long-pending Miyapur–Bollaram stretch flyover, expected to ease congestion, is significantly delayed.

Reasons include:

• Land acquisition delays (over 2 years)

• Shifting of water pipelines and electric poles

• Funding interruptions

• Election-related slowdowns

• Contractor turnover

• Unfinished segments left open for months

Impact on residents

• Rising dust levels from exposed construction material

• Traffic snarls are increasing travel time

• Potholes and open diversions are causing safety hazards

• Higher air pollution due to constant vehicle idling

“The dust never settles. Traffic pollution plus industrial pollutants have made the air very difficult to breathe. I cover my face completely. Otherwise, I cough the entire day,” said S. Ramulu, an autorickshaw driver.

4. Road dust, potholes, and construction Debris

The uneven roads around Bachupally, Mallampet, Pragathi Nagar, and Nizampet have become major contributors to dust pollution.

Field observations show:

• Continuous layers of particulates are deposited on homes and parked vehicles

• Broken dividers and incomplete road work are generating debris

• Drainage chambers left open during monsoon repairs, spreading mud-dust during dry phases

• Cement bags and sand lying outside construction sites without covers

5. Ineffective regulatory enforcement

Though PCB has issued notices and closure orders, residents say pollution persists at night.

Common concerns:

• Factories allegedly increasing operations after 9 pm

• Long gaps between inspections

• No real-time air-quality monitors yet

• Residents not informed of follow-up action after hearings

• Power disconnection orders are often delayed

“The PCB orders are welcome, but enforcement must be continuous. We need sustained monitoring, not one-off inspections,” says Mallempati.

On-Ground sentiment: what people report daily

A. Health Impacts

Many residents say they experience:

• Burning sensation in the eyes

• Breathing difficulty at night

• Persistent cough

• Headaches

• Sleep disruption

• Skin irritation in children

B. Daily life disruptions

Residents describe:

• Shutting windows tightly

• Avoiding early-morning and night walks

• Children are advised not to play outdoors

• Using air purifiers more frequently

3. The PCB investigation & closure orders: key details

On 19 May 2025, PCB issued closure orders to M/s Rahul Barium Salts under the Air Act after:

• High PM10, VOC, SPM levels

• Use of polluting fuels (petcoke, firewood)

• Lack of APCEs (pollution-control equipment)

• Fugitive emissions

• Multiple non-compliances from 2022–2025

• Contaminated borewell water levels in adjacent residential areas

The Board directed the disconnection of the power supply and warned of prosecution for continued operations.

Residents say they await consistent follow-up inspections to verify compliance.

Population pressure & urban growth without infrastructure

Bachupally’s population is estimated at around 1 lakh, boosted by:

• Residential projects

• IT workforce shifting from Kondapur & Miyapur

• New schools and colleges attracting families

But infrastructure, especially roads, sewage, waste treatment, and pollution managemen, has not kept pace with the pace of real estate development.

“Bachupally grew fast, but regulations did not. Industries stayed. Apartments rose. And pollution became our daily companion,” a long-time resident comments.

What residents want: collective demands

Residents interviewed for this report outlined several urgent requirements:

Immediate enforcement of closure orders

And third-party monitoring to verify compliance.

Installation of real-time AQI monitors

At Hill County, Praneeth Life, and Tanvi Hills, as promised.

Completion of flyover works on priority.y

With proper barricading and debris management.

Removal of high-polluting industrial units near residential areas

Or stricter emissions compliance.

Transparent communication from authorities

Regarding inspections, actions, and timelines.

RWA Vice President sums it up, “Residents are not against industries. We only want safe air, safe water, and accountability.”

Conclusion: A suburb at a crossroads

Bachupally’s situation is not just a pollution incident; it is a structural challenge created by industrial overlap, rapid urbanisation, delayed infrastructure, and weak enforcement.

As debates intensify between residents, industries, and authorities, one fact remains evident that the air in Bachupally is not safe, and the crisis requires sustained interventions, not paperwork alone.

For nearly one lakh people, the demand is simple: Clean air, clean water, and transparency.

Only time will show if their voices lead to real change.