Residents of Vasavanipalem and Jalari Yendada bear the brunt of beach pollution in Visakhapatnam

Residents of Vasavanipalem and Jalari Yendada face wrath of untreated sewage entering sea, leading to poor sanitation and health hazards.

There is no respite for the residents of Vasavanipalem and Jalari Yendada, who have been facing the wrath of sewage being drained into the sea. The untreated sewage which enters the sea at Lawson’s Bay Beach has been depositing huge amount of solid wastes at the beach whenever there is a low tide, leading to poor state of sanitation in the locality. The residents not only complain about the health hazards being faced by them due to the issue, but also about the impact on their livelihood.

Heaps of solid waste including bags, clothes, gunny bags, liquor bottles, used coconut shells, thermocol sheets, wood and plastic wastes greet visitors at the beach. The locals inform that earlier, there was a severe problem of open defecation, but it has gradually reduced.

“There is severe mosquito menace in the locality. Irrespective of seasons, people suffer from various health issues, especially vector-borne diseases, due to the wastes which are pushed back by the sea.” says V. Satyam, a fisherman from Vasavanipalem.

As per the locals, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has also been clearing the debris using heavy vehicles time to time, but the wastes keep coming back to the shore, due to the open drain which is directed into the sea. Unless and until the solid wastes are arrested from entering the sea, the issue cannot be resolved, they said.

V. Mahesh, a fisherman, said that their fishing nets are being damaged, as the solid wastes which are being discharged into the sea get entangled to their fishing nets. He said that due to the pollution being caused, fishing activity is not being possible in the surroundings of the beach.

Raju, a fisherman, who was knitting his net at Vasavanipalem, said that many a times, the liquor bottles on the shore hurt their legs, while they are parking their boats.

Two months ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has started a campaign in the name ‘Sagara Ghosha’ to highlight the issue of beach pollution. The BJP leaders have visited Vasavanipalem village and enquired with the locals over the issues being faced by the pollution.