COIMBATORE: The decision of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) to establish a waste-to-energy plant at the Vellalore dump yard has riled residents and environmental activists.
The proposed facility, estimated to cost Rs 450 crore, is expected to process about 1,200 tonnes of waste per day. As part of the plan, the civic body is also considering bringing municipal waste from Tiruppur City Municipal Corporation to the Vellalore site to ensure the plant functions at full capacity. However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the public and local organisations.
KP Sathasivam, a resident of the area, told TNIE, "People living near the dump yard have long been facing issues such as unbearable foul smell, poor sanitation, groundwater contamination, yellow-coloured drinking water, mosquito infestation and several health problems. And establishing a waste-to-energy plant in the same location would only worsen the situation and further threaten the health and livelihoods of the local population."
Expressing strong concerns, KS Mohan, social activist and secretary of the Kurichi-Vellalore Pollution Prevention Action Committee, said residents in and around Vellalore are already struggling with severe environmental problems caused by the existing dump yard.
He also pointed out that waste incineration plants are known to release hazardous substances such as dioxins and furans, which can pose significant health risks. The Vellalore residents noted that similar projects have faced public protests in Chennai over environmental and health concerns.
"As per a 2018 directive of the National Green Tribunal, steps were expected to be taken to clear the Vellalore dump yard and restore the land for public use. Instead, residents feel that the authorities are moving in the opposite direction by proposing a large waste-processing facility at the same site," added Mohan.
Activists and locals have also criticised the civic body for proceeding without conducting proper public consultations. They insist that residents and stakeholders must be involved before decisions on such major projects are taken.
The committee has announced plans to initiate legal action and organise peaceful democratic protests, along with political parties and social organisations, demanding that the project be abandoned in the interest of public health and environmental safety.