COIMBATORE: Dumping of meat waste continues to plague Vellalore residents, despite repeated assurances made to them by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) that the practice would be stopped.
Every day, the city generates around 8-9 tonnes of meat waste, a figure that nearly doubles on Sundays and festivals. This waste was earlier managed by a private firm through a dedicated processing unit, but complaints about poor handling and stench, affecting neighbourhoods in a 5-km vicinity, forced the corporation to revoke the firm's contract. Activists allege that since then the waste is once again being buried in the dump yard- a method both hazardous and outdated. Large pits are dug to dispose of the waste. This, in turn, creates serious hygiene and environmental concerns.
Local activist KS Mohan, secretary of Kurichi-Vellalore Pollution Prevention Committee, expressed frustration over the issue. "The CCMC had promised that meat waste would no longer be dumped in Vellalore, but despite a new private firm taking over solid waste management, the same methods are being followed," he told TNIE. Mohan urged the corporation to collect meat waste directly from stores and traders and transport them to approved processing centres directly.
Other residents echoed similar concerns, urging immediate intervention. With no long-term solution, environmentalists warn of increased risks of disease outbreaks and pollution of soil and air.
Speaking to TNIE, CCMC Commissioner M Sivaguru Prabakaran said, "Around 10 tonnes of meat waste is generated every day in the city. All meat waste generated from Monday to Saturday are transported to processing centres directly. However, we cannot do the same on Sundays when the waste doubles. As processing centres have a capacity of only around 10 tonnes, the remaining 7 or 8 tonnes of collected meat waste is dumped in Vellalore. However, we've instructed the private company to look into other options and come up with scientific solutions soon."