TIRUCHY: Tense moments prevailed at the corporation council meeting for July convened on Thursday as Deputy Mayor G Divya and 25 councillors walked out in protest against the establishment of a chicken waste processing unit at the civic body’s dump yard in Ariyamangalam.
Once the session chaired by Mayor Mu Anbalagan commenced, Ward 16 councillor and Zone 3 chairperson M Mathivanan said, "Last year, when we raised concerns over pollution in the areas surrounding the dump yard, the mayor assured us that no further garbage dumping would take place and that the land would be cleared and possibly repurposed for public use, such as a bus stand. However, two months ago, a resolution was adopted to establish a chicken waste processing unit on 8,000 square feet of land within the dump yard to process 35 metric tonnes of chicken waste per day.”
Mentioning that the unit was handed over to a private firm for operations at a monthly rent of Rs 56,000, the councillor said, “We opposed this but the centre’s construction began. If the plant becomes operational, the odour [from it] will make it unbearable for nearby residents."
"Recently, local residents raised their concerns with the authorities as well as with Thiruverumbur MLA and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi. The minister directed officials to stop the project. However, construction work continued even on Thursday," he added.
Following this, Deputy Mayor Divya, Mathivanan and 24 councillors – all of whom were elected from the DMK and its allies -- walked out, saying that they would not participate in corporation proceedings until the waste processing unit project was stopped.
Trying to clear the air, the mayor said, "There seems to be misinformation. The construction work (on the processing unit) was stopped on Wednesday following intervention by minister [KN Nehru]. Until two months ago, a private firm from Tirunelveli was handling chicken waste collection, but they withdrew over operational issues. We initiated the project through a corporation resolution. However, after the minister raised concerns, we suspended work. So far, 30 of the 48 acres of the Ariyamangalam dump yard has been reclaimed, and the remaining (waste) will be cleared through the ongoing biomining process."
Of the councillors who walked out, most are known supporters of the school education minister. The other DMK councillors, who are supporters of Municipal Administration Minister KN Nehru, remained in the meeting hall. A total of 67 resolutions were adopted before the council meeting drew to a close.