Pink lake, toxic effluents: TGPCB cracks down on Hetero drugs
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) has issued stringent directives to Hetero Drugs Ltd., Unit-I, after overwhelming evidence of repeated environmental violations and severe pollution of Nallakunta Cheruvu lake in Sangareddy district.
The board’s crackdown comes after years of mounting complaints, protests, and repeated inspections. Recently, a chorus of voices, from villagers in Domadugu and Bonthapally to the Air Force Academy in Dundigal, have sounded the alarm. Their central charge was that the pharmaceutical plant was dumping untreated waste into Nallakunta Cheruvu, turning it into a toxic hazard.
Lake turns pink
Notably, a study commissioned by the industry from IIT Hyderabad confirmed significant concerns. The report found that the lake’s surface water had a distinct pink pigmentation, attributed to blooms of purple sulfur bacteria in oxygen-depleted conditions caused by excessive nutrient loading, a condition indicative of industrial pollution. Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) levels ranged from 120 to 136 mg/L, well above acceptable limits, indicating high organic pollution.
Forensic analysis of water samples from Nallakunta Cheruvu identified several chemicals used exclusively in pharmaceutical manufacturing, including Sertraline HCl, N, N-Dimethylpivalanide, and N-Formylmorpholine. These chemicals were also detected in the industry’s rainwater storage tanks and in stagnant wastewater outside the facility, establishing a direct link between the factory’s effluents and the lake’s contamination.
TGPCB inspections, including one on November 14, 2025, identified repeated non-compliance. Effluent spillages near storage tanks were concealed with fresh soil. Contaminated water was stored in rainwater collection tanks intended for first-flush runoff. Flow meters for measuring effluent generation were incorrectly installed, resulting in inaccurate data.
The unit was operating a 12 TPH coal-fired boiler without consent, exceeding the permitted 8 TPH. Critical systems for controlling Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and odour were absent, faulty, or ineffective. This included missing activated charcoal beds, leaky extraction hoods, and inadequate scrubbing systems.
Although a new Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system was installed, performance data indicated significant failures. The treated water was highly alkaline, segregation of high- and low-TDS waste was inadequate, and the Biological Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) was associated with increased pollution levels, as COD levels rose after treatment.
Moreover, the human toll came into sharp focus at a December 23, 2025, hearing. Eighty villagers gathered in protest outside the TGPCB office, sharing stories of years spent battling pollution. They spoke of the pink water’s return, a chemical stench in the air, and a litany of health problems, skin diseases, lung ailments, gynecological issues, and even cancer. Their plea was simple: shut down the factory or help them escape.
Significantly, the issue has now reached the highest environmental court. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) Principal Bench in Delhi has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports and transferred the case to its Southern Zonal Bench in Chennai.
TGPCB’s stringent directives
The orders on 1, January, 2026, which came to light recently, issued under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, list multiple non-compliance issues and demand immediate corrective action.
Blaming the unit, the TGPCB has given a set of strict orders that must be followed within one month. All dirty water stored at the site must be sent to approved treatment plants within 15 days, with daily updates. Four of the six dirty rainwater storage tanks must be taken apart. The unit must pay for a full study by a well-known institute such as NEERI or IICT to find out where the pollution started, check the damage to the lake bed, and plan how to fix the lake. The company must also give an extra bank guarantee of Rs. 64 lakh, making the total Rs. 96 lakh.
Further, TGPCB directed the unit must get approval for the unapproved boiler. It should also control bad smells everywhere and ensure all earlier rules are followed. The board has warned that if these orders are not followed, the factory will be shut down right away and legal action will be taken under environmental laws, without any more warnings.
