COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) submitted a 98-page comprehensive action plan to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) concerning the clearance of legacy waste from the Vellalore dump yard and the prevention of further waste dumping at the site. Following a review of the submissions, NGT has scheduled the next hearing for October 16.
As a massive fire broke out at the dump yard on April 6, which burned for four days causing severe distress to those residing nearby, the NGT in Delhi took suo motu cognisance of the situation and initiated a case. It later transferred it to the Chennai South Zone NGT. The case was subsequently heard on September 3.
Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department (MAWS) principal Secretary, Karthikeyan and CCMC commissioner Sivaguru Prabakaran spearheaded the preparation of the action plan. Their report provided a comprehensive overview of the current waste management practices in Coimbatore, including garbage disposal, electricity generation, and composting initiatives.
The report also stated that out of the 36 Micro Composting Centres (MCCs) in the city, 23 are currently operational, each with a processing capacity of 2-5 tonnes. The city also hosts eight Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and one dedicated e-waste handling centre. While six biogas centres were previously functional, they are now out of operation due to maintenance issues, with one site repurposed as a charging station.
The daily collected waste is processed at these facilities, minimising the need for open dumping. However, public opposition and legal challenges have hindered the operation of some MCCs. Of the 68.25 acres of legacy waste at Vellalore, 50 acres have been reclaimed through bio-mining, and 2,100 saplings were planted in the area. Despite these efforts, 7,43,247 metric tonnes of waste remain accumulated across 58.54 acres. To address this, the CCMC plans to implement a Bio-mining Phase-2 project.
From January to August, measures implemented by the CCMC have successfully reduced open dumping in Vellalore from 81% to 18%. Currently, freshly collected waste is confined to an area of 5-8 acres. As part of the Swachh Bharat 2.0 mission, three new waste transfer centres were being constructed for Rs 27 crore, with completion expected within 15 months. Additionally, a ‘biogas’ plant is slated for construction at a cost of Rs 69.20 crore, and a waste-to-energy project is also in the pipeline for Coimbatore.
The CCMC’s action plan underscores its commitment to resolving the longstanding waste management issues at the dump yard while aiming to improve the overall environmental health of the region.