CHENNAI: In a development which makes a mockery of an National Green Tribunal (NGT) direction, Tambaram Municipality has resumed illegal dumping of unsegregated waste at Kannadapalayam dump yard on the city outskirts.
Unable to handle excess waste collected post-cyclone Vardah, the local body had dumped nearly 200 tonnes of garbage in the 9.4 foot tall dump yard recently which has resulted in a minor disease outbreak and contamination of drinking water resources.
The 2.3-acre land on the Tambaram-Somangalam Road near Kishkinta Theme Park was used for burying human faeces and from 1990-91 the local municipality started using it as a dumping site where nearly 300 tonnes of garbage in and around Tamabaram were dumped.
Opposite this was a government school. Students from this institution and locals increasingly suffered from respiratory and other diseases and following stiff opposition, the authorities in an attempt to downsize the magnitude of the issue started burning the garbage in the middle of the night to avoid public attention.
The residents approached the Madras High Court which transferred the case to the NGT which directed the government not only to stop burning but also phase out the site as it was set up without proper clearance from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, said advocate S Sai representing Kannadarpalayam people.
Subsequently, the Tambaram municipality on November 2016 consented to the NGT southern bench’s direction to ‘scientifically’ close the site and the authorities went a step ahead by announcing that a park would soon be set up after it was suppressed to ground.
The residents who were unable to open their windows or doors due to the bad stench that prevailed for more than 10 years heaved a sigh of relief over this order. However it was short-lived as the municipality started dumping waste on the site again.
“After the cyclone, we saw lorries carrying garbage mixed with broken tress being dumped and poclains (earth movers) were deployed to suppress the height,” said E Muthlakshmi, a resident of Kalaimagal Street located adjacent to the dump yard.
S Viji, who lodged the case on behalf of the residents, said that mosquito menace and bad stench were very severe this time and many started developing asthma-related complaints and nearly 20 children and women were admitted in the nearby government-run hospital.
Responding to these allegations, a municipality official acknowledged that people had protested earlier condemning this and repairs in Vengadamangalam facility were fixed and operations will begin in full swing from Friday.