CHENNAI: After Express published multiple reports on poor garbage collection in Chitlapakkam, the National Green Tribunal has taken suo motu cognizance and sought a detailed report from local panchayat officials. Citing Express article that was published on September 24, the tribunal has directed the officials to submit a report on compliance of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, and Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The tribunal has observed that the panchayat’s report that was submitted already is very general in nature and does not have much facts. According to the report, the Chitlapakkam Town panchayat consists of 18 wards with 11,220 households and 247 commercial establishments. The population is 45,000 and average waste generation is 11 metric tonnes of solid waste per day.
However, the residents claim the report is inaccurate. “The population is way higher than 45,000. Also, even if the population is 45,000 as per the panchayat report, the average waste generation per day for as many people looks very less,” said Dayanand Krishnan, a resident. The report also says door-to-door collection of waste is 80 per cent, and efforts will be taken to make it 100 per cent by January 2021.
The NGT observed that though there was a proposal to set up an incineration plant for non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste, it was seen from the report that there was no authorisation or permission obtained from Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for the plant.
It was not clear from the report as to whether the healthcare units have necessary ‘authorisation’ and arrangement for collection and disposal of biomedical waste generated, it said. The tribunal directed the Town Panchayat Pollution Control Board and the Town Panchayat to submit an independent action plan and further action taken report on or before December 24, 2020.