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Shifting to safety

four villages affected by pollution emanating from the Hindustan Zinc Limited ( hzl ) in Gujuwaka in Visakhapatnam, will be shifted to a safer place if the government implements the recommendations made by the assembly committee on petitions, headed by deputy speaker N M Farooq. The villagers suffered from innumerable health hazards due to well waters getting polluted by lead, acid and carbon emitted from hzl. As many as 20 children died of unidentified diseases. The villagers also contended that pregnant women had suffered abortions. There was also cattle and crop loss as the lands turned infertile. The committee concluded that the company did not comply with the state pollution control board standards. The hzl have agreed to pay a compensation of Rs 4 crore to the victims of pollution towards rehabilitation.The affected villages are Chinamulagada, Pedamulagada, Chukkavanipalem and eduruvanipalem. The village identified by the committee for rehabilitation is Kurmannapalem.

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