CHENNAI: With nearly 110 tonnes of waste likely to be generated and lakhs of people expected to throng Chennai’s beaches during Kaanum Pongal, the southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has sought a detailed compliance report from authorities, even as it expressed satisfaction over the measures proposed by the state government to manage festival-related waste.
The observations were made on Monday by the bench, comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Prashant Gargava, while it took up a suo motu case relating to garbage accumulation during Kaanum Pongal celebrations. As per the government’s own submission, 100 tonnes of waste was generated last year, and this year it would touch 110 tonnes.
With the Olive Ridley turtle nesting season starting early, garbage filled beaches would prove detrimental. During the hearing, separate reports filed by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) were placed before the bench. The TNPCB report, presented as a comprehensive account of government action, detailed preventive measures, inter-departmental coordination and enforcement mechanisms planned ahead of the festival. The tribunal recorded the report and noted the steps proposed reflected a coordinated administrative response.
The bench observed the government should move beyond post-event clean-up and continue to focus on preventive waste management, particularly at ecologically sensitive coastal locations. According to the report, waste generation during Kaanum Pongal last year stood at around 100 tonnes, while this year it is estimated to touch 110 tonnes due to increased footfall at major beaches such as Marina, Besant Nagar and Thiruvanmiyur.
Measures outlined by the authorities include deployment of additional sanitation workers in multiple shifts, installation of adequate waste bins and temporary toilets, segregation of waste at source and intensified monitoring to prevent littering and open burning of waste. Enforcement mechanisms have been strengthened with spot fines for violations under the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The tribunal also reminded the authorities that compliance must be demonstrable and outcome-oriented. It directed them to ensure that the measures proposed are implemented in letter and spirit and to file a compliance status report detailing execution, enforcement action and outcomes observed during the festival period.
The matter has been adjourned to February 2, 2026, when the tribunal will review the compliance report and assess whether the preventive framework adopted this year can serve as a sustainable model for managing waste during large public celebrations in Chennai and other urban centres of Tamil Nadu.