TIRUPPUR: Farmers and social activists have urged the state government to amend or withdraw the government order permitting the dumping of solid waste in abandoned stone quarries across the state. They are voicing against dumping garbage collected from residential areas in abandoned stone quarries in Tiruppur.
R Sathis Kumar, state secretary of the legal awareness wing of Tamilaga Vivasayigal Pathukappu Sangam, who filed a case in the National Green Tribunal (NGT-Southern Zone) against the dumping of garbage in stone quarries, said,
"We recently met TK Prabhu, Minister for Natural Resources, and submitted a memorandum. During the meeting, we asked him to intervene regarding the government order dated February 23, 2022, issued under the Reclamation, Restoration and Rehabilitation (RRR) framework, currently administered by the Natural Resources Department.
In particular, Clause IV-A 35-F(3)(L), which permits the use of abandoned quarry pits for dumping solid waste by local bodies, is causing serious environmental and public health concerns across TN."
He added that several municipalities and local bodies are misusing this provision to dump unsegregated municipal solid waste into abandoned quarry sites without scientific processing or environmental safeguards, which has resulted in air, soil, and groundwater pollution.
"Therefore, the state government should amend or withdraw the GO. It must direct all local bodies to follow scientific waste segregation, processing, and disposal methods strictly as per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. The government should protect abandoned quarries and water retention zones from being converted into garbage dumping sites and must constitute a monitoring mechanism to prevent environmental violations," he further stated.
P Velusamy, President of PAP Vellakoil Branch Canal Water Conservation Movement, who filed a case in the Madras High Court against the dumping of solid waste in stone quarries, said, "Abandoned quarries must be maintained as waterbodies.
A few years ago, when a drought struck Chennai, water was taken from stone quarries and distributed. In my case, the court held that abandoned quarries can be utilised as landfills for inert and pre-processed wastes, but it is not a stand-alone provision and should be read alongside the SWM Rules, 2016. Therefore, dumping solid waste directly is unlawful."
When TNIE tried to contact Minister TK Prabhu, he did not accept the call.
