Amaravati, Sep 2026 : Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Environment Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday held Andhra Paper Mills Private Limited responsible for a significant share of pollution in the Godavari River at Rajahmundry and directed Pollution Control Board officials to issue summons to the company.
Kalyan instructed officials to initiate appropriate action against the company in accordance with environmental regulations. He also directed the Advocate General, Additional Advocate General, government pleaders and standing counsels to take necessary legal steps for the speedy disposal of cases related to alleged violations by the company.
In a statement, the Deputy Chief Minister also criticised Andhra Paper for allegedly failing to pay taxes to local bodies for the past decade. According to him, the company has outstanding dues of Rs 21.34 crore and has not paid local taxes since 2016.
Kalyan cited official data to underline the scale of the alleged pollution. He said Rajahmahendravaram city generates approximately 70 million litres of liquid waste every day, of which Andhra Paper's facility alone accounts for nearly 35 million litres.
He further claimed that tests conducted on samples collected near the company's waste discharge lagoons showed pollutant levels exceeding prescribed limits. According to the test results cited by him, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) level was recorded at 36 milligrams per litre, around 20 per cent above the permissible standard.
Similarly, phosphate levels were found to be 5.3 milligrams, which Kalyan said was about 6 per cent above the permitted limit. Sulphide levels stood at 3.4 milligrams, allegedly 70 per cent higher than the standards prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The Deputy Chief Minister warned that such pollution could reduce oxygen levels in the river, threatening aquatic organisms and adversely affecting the Godavari's ecosystem. He also raised concerns over foul odours, deterioration in water quality and potential risks to public health.
Kalyan recalled that during an earlier field visit, he had advised the company to adopt measures to prevent contamination of groundwater. However, he alleged that the recommendations had not been implemented.
He said the authorities had several options under pollution control regulations, including suspending industrial operations, imposing penalties, taking possession of the facility or revoking its licence in case of serious violations.
However, Kalyan said the coalition government had initially adopted a comparatively cautious approach to avoid causing undue hardship to industries. Show-cause notices were therefore issued as a preliminary measure, giving the company an opportunity to rectify the alleged violations.
According to the Deputy Chief Minister, Pollution Control Board officials had held multiple discussions with representatives of Andhra Paper over the past three months and suggested corrective measures. He claimed the company had failed to provide an adequate response.
"Consequently, I am directing the Pollution Control Board officials to immediately issue summons to Andhra Papers Limited and take appropriate action in accordance with the regulations," Kalyan said.
He also appealed to environmentalists and civil society organisations to support the government's efforts to protect the Godavari River under the theme "Clean Godavari – Sacred Pushkaralu."
Kalyan said environmental protection and public interest would remain the coalition government's priorities and asserted that industrial development must be balanced with the protection of the river and its surrounding ecosystem.
