COIMBATORE: Residents of Somayampalayam, situated in the foothills of Maruthamalai, are at the receiving end of the panchayat's poor handling of solid waste management practice. The residents alleged that panchayat workers were dumping garbage and disposing sewage in residential areas and at the foothills.
The New Indian Express spotted private vehicles disposing of sewage in open spaces in the area.
Marimuthu (name changed), a resident of the village, said, "Anna Nagar Road, Leprosy colony, Valli Deivanai Nagar, the area behind the law college and Bharathiar University, fall under the panchayat limit. Cleanliness staff have been dumping waste collected from roads, hotels, hospitals here for over a year. They dispose of waste at least ten times a day using heavy vehicles."
He added that sewage was also let out by private tankers in connivance with panchayat officials.
A woman who runs a tea shop at Maruthamalai said the house flies from the dump yards affected business.
Another resident, K Saran (name changed) said animals including deer feed on the wastes during the night and it raises concerns about the animals’ health, he worried.
K Syed of NGO Osai said, "As per norms, waste and sewage water should not be dumped in places that are in close proximity to the hills since it would affect wildlife. He added that they would visit the locality and take steps through the district administration."
K Kathirmathiyon of Coimbatore Consumer Cause said, "Dump yards should not be established in residential areas and the panchayat should follow a solid waste management system. But officials do not ensure this."
Somayampalayam panchayat president Rangaraj said that the dump yard was located 300 meters away from the residential area and that there was no disturbance to residents or wildlife.
Rangaraj noted they were constructing a separate building at Somayampalayam for waste management and as soon as the construction is completed, they would follow a proper system. He also stressed there was no chance of changing the dump yard. Collector GS Sameeran assured to look into the issue.
Waste being dumped into Rajavaikal
COIMBATORE: Kovai Kulangal Pathukappu Amaipu alleged that waste was being dumped in Rajavaikal (main canal) which feeds the Vellalore pond at Athupalam.
In a petition to the Chief Minster special cell, organisation coordinator R Manikandan said there was no coordination between the government and the local body and that the issue has been unaddressed for a long time.
He claimed that scrap material shops and marriage halls situated on the road to Podanur from Athupalam dumped waste into the canal and that there has been no action despite multiple petitions.