Protests against smoke from Karimnagar’s dumping yard have intensified, with residents demanding its immediate relocation after several neighbourhoods reported breathing difficulties and health concerns. Women wearing face masks staged a Bathukamma protest near the yard and later blocked traffic at NTR Chowk, highlighting the growing pressure on officials to address the waste crisis.
The dumping yard, located near Autonagar on a nine-acre site along the Manair river downstream of the Lower Manair Dam, has become a source of smoke in nearby areas over the past few days. Residents of Alugunoor, Hyderabad Road, Sadashivapalli, Kattarampur, Kothirampur, Pochammavada, Kaman, Alkapuri Colony and Housing Board Colony are among those affected, according to the report.
Residents said thick smoke often engulfed the localities in the evenings. Kothirampur resident Kothapalli Raju told Deccan Chronicle that people were finding it difficult to breathe when the smoke spread through the area, with children and elderly residents particularly vulnerable to respiratory problems.
The protests have taken several forms. Class VII student Dumpeta Yodha of Alkapuri Colony posted a video while wearing an oxygen mask to describe the difficulties faced by local residents. An Army jawan from the same locality also posted a video, saying that while he was serving in Jammu and Kashmir, his children and other family members were struggling with smoke from the yard.
During the Bathukamma festival season, women in affected localities have been protesting while wearing face masks. On Tuesday evening, a group led by social activist Munipally Phanitha held a Bathukamma protest near the dumping yard before staging a rasta roko at NTR Chowk. The protesters placed Bathukammas on the road, bringing vehicular movement to a halt.
Residents have submitted representations to political leaders and officials seeking a permanent solution. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had earlier assured residents during a visit to Choppadandi that the dumping yard would be shifted from Karimnagar.
Officials identified a site near Sirsapalli in Huzurabad mandal earlier this year for the proposed relocation. However, residents of Huzurabad and surrounding villages opposed the move and held protests under the aegis of a joint action committee. The relocation process was subsequently halted following the resistance.
The dispute is also linked to the volume of waste generated by Karimnagar. Municipal figures cited in the report show that the 66 divisions of the Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar generate around 135 to 155 metric tonnes of garbage every day. With no effective mechanism to clear accumulated waste, the existing dumping yard continues to remain a major concern for residents living nearby.
