VELLORE : The Pollution Control Board in Vellore has fined the City Municipal Corporation `88 lakh for disposing of solid waste into Palar river basin, thereby not adhering to proper waste management practices.
Vellore City Municipal Corporation is divided into four zones with a total of 60 wards. The city generates nearly 220 tonnes of waste on a daily basis which is then transported to the solid waste management facility for segregation. However, there have been instances in certain wards where waste is improperly disposed of in public areas, including the Palar river basin. Often, the waste is also set on fire. The board’s probe confirmed that waste had indeed been dumped into the river basin, said official sources.
Vellore corporation commissioner Janaki Raveendran told TNIE that there has been a vigilant focus on addressing the issue of waste disposal and burning by workers. “Sanitary officers and supervisors have been instructed to take strict measures, including imposing fines or deducting salaries. This directive extends to the sanitary officers and supervisors as well,” she added.
Furthermore, the public has been urged to properly segregate the waste before handing it over to sanitary workers. Despite awareness efforts, citizens also dump waste in public places. The commissioner asked the citizens to support the staff to maintain a clean environment.
She added that challenge persists with the disposal of desilted sewage as attempts to put it in abandoned quarries faced opposition from the public.
Addressing next steps in the process, she said, “In Vellore, we currently have 51 micro-composite centres and in the coming days, steps will be taken to ensure they operate at full capacity. We will communicate the significance of these centres to the public and work towards its optimal functioning. Additionally, over the past nine months, inert waste has accumulated in various parts of the city. Recently, the memorandum of understanding with cement industries has been revived, and the accumulated waste will now be sent to these industries.”
She added that a work order for the installation of the incineration plant was issued in 2019 but it was halted. The work will restart soon. “We have also sought technical guidance from Anna University on this matter, and once the plant is operational, it will enhance the city’s waste management capabilities. We have requested a one-year timeframe from the TNPCB to address and work on these issues,” she said.