NAGAPATTINAM: An empty piece of land, opposite to Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Fisheries University in Nagapattinam, has been reduced into a garbage dumping area, where the garbage is often set on fire, causing difficulties for passersby. Locals flag ‘negligence’ by the garbage trucks and no supervision by the municipality as the major causes for the situation.
“There is no separate garbage dumping facility in Nagore. So the collected wastes will be dumped near the ECR and later transferred to the waste management facility in Nagapattinam. But for a long period, the wastes are not moved quickly but rather set on fire,” said Nagore Siddiq of Sevai kulumam charitable trust, who often commutes on the ECR. “The problem won’t persist if the sanitation supervising officer visits the site often,” he added.
The smoke billowing frequently from the garbage fire often fills the road and makes it harder for the vehicles to see, making the spot a risky one. “Sometimes, the ECR road will be filled with smoke, making it hard to see. The ECR connects Nagore to Velankanni and Vedaranyam, and it attracts more bikers every day,” said G Aravind Kumar, Secretary of Nagai District Consumer Protection and Passenger Association.
Siddiq said the locals filed petitions earlier with the previous municipality commissioner, and the problem was rectified for a brief period, but now, the garbage is getting piled up again. “We have filed petitions multiple times, but the last time was a year ago. They will remove it every time we complain, and again, the old situation will persist,’’ he said.
As the garbage dumping area doesn’t have compounds around it, cows and other animals often roam around the garbage and chew plastic and other harmful waste. A senior official from the Nagapattinam Municipality said the municipality is not aware of the situation, and the sanitation supervisor for Nagore region will inspect the affected area.