Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender to Launch Padayatra on October 27

Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender has announced a campaign against pollution from the Jawaharnagar dump yard, alleging that emissions and waste contamination are posing serious health risks to people living in nearby areas. Demanding the relocation of the dump yard and a permanent solution to the environmental crisis, he said he would launch a padayatra on October 27 to mobilise public support and intensify the movement.

As part of the campaign, Rajender will meet residents affected by the pollution on October 23 to discuss their concerns and understand the problems they face. A roundtable meeting with intellectuals and environmental experts will be held near the dump yard on October 25. These consultations will precede the padayatra, which aims to build pressure on the government to address the long-standing issue.

Drawing attention to the global consequences of methane emissions, Rajender said controlling the gas was critical to tackling global warming and climate change. He referred to a report attributed to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law, which reportedly placed the Jawaharnagar dump yard fourth among the world's 25 most polluting sites identified through satellite-based methane emission data covering 18 countries. Buenos Aires in Argentina, Jakarta in Indonesia and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia were ranked first, second and third, respectively. He said students from the University of Hyderabad had brought the findings to his attention.

Rajender alleged that groundwater within a 25-kilometre radius of the dump yard had been contaminated, while toxic air pollution affected areas extending up to 30 kilometres. He expressed concern over reports of respiratory and skin-related ailments among residents. Low-income families, including vegetable vendors and domestic workers, were particularly vulnerable, as medical expenses were consuming a significant share of their earnings.

The MP also criticised the government for failing to effectively utilise modern waste-management technologies developed by institutions such as IIT Bombay. He urged Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to intervene and implement a lasting solution instead of allowing the situation to continue.

Rajender called for decentralising waste disposal, examining the research findings submitted by university students and adopting measures to achieve zero pollution. He said the proposed padayatra would strengthen the campaign for environmental protection and demand relief for communities affected by the dump yard.