Mephedrone factory inside pharma unit: TGPCB orders Aster industries closure | Hyderabad News

Hyderabad: The Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) has ordered the closure of Aster Industries Ltd at Kondamadugu in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district after police allegedly uncovered the manufacture of mephedrone at the premises under the name of Vetukuri Labs, and seized 27.2 kg of the banned drug valued at about Rs 53 crore.The Aug 17 closure order against the bulk drug intermediates unit at Kondamadugu, Bibinagar mandal, came nine days after Bibinagar police intercepted a Fortuner allegedly carrying the drug from the facility to Nagpur. TGPCB simultaneously directed TGSPDCL to disconnect power supply to the industry with immediate effect.The board said Aster Industries was also operating without a valid Consent for Operation (CFO) and Hazardous Waste Authorisation (HWA), which had expired on Dec 31, 2025. Its renewal application had been returned.PCB cites pollution-control failuresTGPCB, which had inspected the unit on June 27 and again on Aug 11 following the police action, recorded several environmental violations. The stripper, Multi-Effect Evaporator and Agitated Thin Film Dryer were found in a dilapidated condition, while the two-stage scrubber provided for emission control was not operating.According to the order, effluents were stored in open drums, hazardous waste and raw-material drums were kept in the open, and spillages and leakages, mostly involving sodium methyl paraben, were noticed on adjoining land and around storage areas.The board also recorded deficiencies including lack of pipelines connecting effluent-storage tanks to production blocks, absence of water circulation for solvent tank vent condensers, failure to install flow meters and an online VOC analyser, and non-maintenance of prescribed effluent records. TGPCB said continuation of operations posed an imminent risk of grave injury to the environment and public health and therefore ordered immediate closure without a prior hearing.Aster had earlier faced closure orders in 2016 for non-compliance and in 2018 over alleged groundwater pollution caused by discharge of untreated effluents. A closure order was revoked in April 2025 subject to conditions.Eight booked under NDPS ActBibinagar police registered FIR on Aug 8 under the NDPS Act.Police said they intercepted a Maharashtra-registered Fortuner near Shiva Weigh Bridge and seized 27.2 kg of mephedrone and two cans containing about 56.9 kg of acetone. Chetan Madhukar Meshram, Muvjamal Hoque and Akash Ashok Gawande were taken into custody.Police subsequently raided Vetukuri Labs and apprehended its in-charge Upadrasthra Ramana Murthy, besides seizing a reactor and centrifuge allegedly used in manufacture.The FIR names four others Md Ayub Ali, Chanda Pradeep Thakur, Gopal Sirpat Patelia and Vetukuri Labs owner Yeatukuri Ramaraju as absconding accused. Police alleged that Meshram financed the operation and that Ramaraju agreed to provide laboratory facilities for Rs 15 lakh. The FIR alleges the drug was manufactured between Aug 5 and Aug 7 before being collected for transportation to Nagpur on Aug 8.