Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Tuesday, 26 May personally inspected pollution sites along the Godavari River in East Godavari district for the second consecutive day, venting sharp anger at officials for failing to act against industries discharging effluents into the river. The Deputy CM, who also holds the Environment portfolio, ordered immediate notices to Andhra Paper Mills in Rajamahendravaram after on-site tests confirmed the presence of pollutants.

What Pawan Kalyan Found on the Ground

Pawan Kalyan visited lagoons located in East Lanka, where Andhra Paper Mills has been discharging polluted water. He directed officials to collect soil and water samples on the spot and had them tested immediately using mobile testing kits. When the results confirmed contamination, he issued orders to serve notices to the industry for violating environmental regulations.

He also questioned Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials about the accumulation of water hyacinth in the lagoons and demanded to know why no notices had been served to the mill despite the scale of pollution being discharged.

Officials Pulled Up Over Dues and Inaction

The Deputy CM questioned District Collector Keerthi Chekuri over the failure to recover outstanding dues of ₹13 crore owed by the industry to the government. He expressed frustration that industries allocated land at concessional rates by the government were operating without basic environmental responsibility.

'There is outrage over the audacity of discharging such water into the river — the very place where we bathe our children,' Pawan Kalyan said, underscoring the public health dimension of the issue.

What the Deputy CM Directed

Addressing PCB officials, Pawan Kalyan stressed that all industries must strictly adhere to pollution control norms and that officials at the ground level must enforce compliance. 'If you encounter any issues at the ground level, please bring them to my attention; I will discuss them with the Honourable Chief Minister and the Cabinet to find a resolution,' he said.

He has already announced the formation of a dedicated task force to monitor and check pollution in the Godavari River on an ongoing basis.

Who Accompanied the Deputy CM

The inspection was attended by Ministers Nadendla Manohar and Kandula Durgesh, along with local MLA Gorantla Butchaiah Chowdary. The high-level presence signals that the Andhra Pradesh government is treating the Godavari pollution issue as a political and administrative priority, not merely a regulatory one.

What Happens Next

With notices now ordered against Andhra Paper Mills and a task force in the pipeline, the focus shifts to follow-through — whether the ₹13 crore in dues will be recovered and whether the PCB will sustain enforcement pressure beyond this high-profile visit.