Foul odour from Jawaharnagar dump yard sparks health concerns across Uppal and Habsiguda
Residents across the Habsiguda-Uppal belt, Kowkoor, Mallapur, and surrounding areas have raised serious concerns over a recurring foul odour and worsening air pollution, which they suspect originates from the Jawaharnagar dump yard and nearby waste transit points. The unbearable stench is reported to be particularly severe during late-night, early-morning, and evening hours.
The persistent pollution has begun to cause significant health problems for local families, including acute breathing difficulties, severe headaches, nausea, and asthma flare-ups. Affected citizens are now urgently seeking intervention from the Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation to inspect the area and take concrete measures to restore air quality.
Nikitha Gowda, a resident of Habsiguda, explained that a relentless stench has gripped the Hubsiguda-Uppal belt, growing noticeably stronger during the night and early morning. She noted that residents suspect emissions from the dump site and poorly maintained transit points are responsible, turning what was once an occasional nuisance into an ongoing health hazard that requires immediate municipal action.
Other neighbouring localities have reported identical conditions. Sanreena Priscilla, who lives at Janapriya Apartments in Kowkoor, stated that her family moved away from the core city to enjoy greenery and clean air, only to face toxic fumes from the nearby dumping area that trigger headaches and respiratory distress. In Mallapur, resident Sunaina K. warned that the decomposing and burning of waste at Jawaharnagar releases toxic gases into the atmosphere while threatening soil and groundwater through leachate contamination.
Local activist Uma Mahesh highlighted that around 96 colonies surround Jawaharnagar, including Karmikanagar, Gabbilalpet, Giriprasad Nagar, BJR Nagar, and YSR Nagar. He noted that conditions have failed to improve following a review meeting in May, arguing that completely removing the dump yard remains the only permanent remedy. Himabindu, an NGO worker, added that areas within a 5-to-6-kilometre radius will continue to suffer unless authorities implement systematic waste management, source segregation, and scientific processing rather than merely relocating the problem.
The long-standing civic issue was previously addressed during an all-party meeting held at the dump yard on May 21, where local leaders urged authorities to replace the single facility with scientific waste management sites across multiple locations. At the time, Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation commissioner T. Vinay Krishna Reddy noted that feasible sites had been identified across four sides of the city, stressing that a solution required cooperation from all stakeholders. However, deputy commissioner G. Ramalingam recently stated that the civic body had not yet received formal complaints regarding the odour, though officials would look into the issue and investigate the source of the smell.
