COIMBATORE: Members and office bearers of the Kurichi-Vellalore pollution prevention action committee on Saturday met with the Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal as well as Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying L Murugan in New Delhi.
They submitted a petition against the Coimbatore city municipal corporation over the Vellalore dump yard issues, violation of solid waste management rules 2016, and the threat that it poses to the life of residents due to severe pollution.
The petition read, “Coimbatore corporation is running a dump yard illegally without any valid approval/permission from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). The boundary of this dump yard is adjacent to Kurichi village at Podanur, Konavaikkal Palayam and Vellalore areas, where approximately 1.5 lakh people are residing. This dump yard started functioning in this area in 2003. The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has not permitted Coimbatore Corporation to run this dump site vide authorisation after the first permission expired on 31-03-2019. Also, Coimbatore Corporation has not obtained permission from the environmental impact authority.”
The petition also states that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has conducted a survey on pollution and found that the groundwater quality has deteriorated very badly and TDS levels have abnormally increased to the danger levels.
Speaking to TNIE, secretary of the committee KS Mohan said, “After we explained the ground situation to the ministers, the ministers assured us to take steps to address the problem as soon as possible.”