COIMBATORE: Amid severe opposition from farmers and government departments, Irugur Town panchayat officials are determined to continue dumping waste at the dump yard on the Noyyal River basin at Kamatchi-puram.
Though farmers benefit from the water source, residents and officials from the Public Works Department (PWD) expressed their concerns regarding waste being segregated on the three-acre vacant land owned by PWD at Kamatchipuram near Noyyal river bank.
They stated that it could significantly harm the river’s biodiversity and could contaminate the water, the local body continued to dump waste there without segregation for the last week.
The farmers also worried that the entire place would be filled with waste if necessary action was not taken on time. They said that within a week the local body has almost filled half of the area with waste and if that is left without segregation, it would become a landfill and pollute the entire river.
An official from the Water Resources Department said, “Even after clear instructions were given to not dump waste at that place, the local body started to dump waste at that dump yard. We have instructed them through letters and in person. However, they do not listen. We are working on ways to take legal action against them.”
When questioned, A Chandran, Irugur Town panchayat president, told TNIE that they have been collecting around two tons of waste every day and there is not enough space to dump it.
He added, “The land located at Kamatchipuram is owned by PWD, but it comes under our panchayat limit. We are not using it for our benefit. As we do not have enough space, we are forced to use this place. We will not clear the garbage dumped there and I am ready to face the officials regarding this issue.”