Sanitation workers upset as massive incinerator malfunctions in Tamil Nadu's Dindigul
DINDIGUL : As a massive incinerator in Dindigul city remains non-functional for the last five months, sanitation workers of the region are upset as they are forced to transport plastic waste to a cement factory in Guziliamparai, which is around 45 km away from the city. According to sources, the incinerator, which was installed in 2022 and holds a capacity of over 10 tonnes, malfunctioned due to technical issues in the furnace.
"Though such furnaces are designed to burn hazardous materials in a combustion chamber, this one was particularly used for plastic materials. After plastic waste increased within the Dindigul city corporation over the last decade, many neighbouring villages also started dumping domestic waste in the corporation city limits. However, as the incinerator went out of operation, the segregated waste are being sent to the factory in Guziliamparai," said a sanitation worker.
It may be noted that the transportation of the waste to Guziliamparai also puts additional burden on the Dindigul city corporation in terms of diesel charges (truck) and man power, among others.
When contacted, an official from the Dindigul city corporation told TNIE, "After the burner of the furnace malfunctioned, we were unable to find proper replacement spares due to technical issues. We had sent a proposal for repair, at an estimated cost of Rs 5 lakh, and it has been accepted. The incinerator will be repaired and the issue will be resolved within 10 days."