Chennai: Two months ago, heaps of garbage dumped near Thiruvanchery, close to the Tambaram Corporation limits, were set ablaze by local panchayat workers, engulfing the area in thick smoke and a foul odor. Residents emphasize that this is not an isolated event. Across multiple neighborhoods within Tambaram Corporation, household waste collected by sanitary workers is routinely dumped and burned in the open, leading to severe air pollution and raising significant health concerns.
Waste Management Failures
Tambaram Corporation generates approximately 450 metric tonnes of waste daily and has a waste transfer system in place. However, residents of Pallavaram and Chromepet report that garbage is collected from interior localities only three times a week. Consequently, waste accumulates in public spaces, attracting stray animals and creating unhygienic conditions. This accumulated waste is later set on fire by sanitation workers employed by a private contractor working for the civic body.
Activist Voices Concerns
David Manohar, an activist and resident of Pallavaram, stated that open burning of garbage has become a daily occurrence in several parts of the corporation. “According to the corporation’s norms, waste should be collected, segregated, and transported from transfer points to landfill sites for processing. But this is not being monitored properly. When residents object to garbage being burned in one area, the workers simply burn it in another location,” he said.
Residents also pointed out that green waste is often not collected regularly, leading to further accumulation. S Kumaran, a member of the United Residents Welfare Association, noted that the implementation of the corporation’s solid waste management initiative is limited. “The project is currently confined to one zone. Despite repeated complaints, officials only say that it will be expanded. Meanwhile, lake bunds and vacant plots continue to be used as dumping grounds,” he added.
Health and Environmental Hazards
Darwin Annadurai, an environmental activist, explained, “Most of the garbage dumped outside consists of plastics. Burning them emits toxic pollutants like dioxins, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) into the air. Exposure to these pollutants can cause coughing, throat irritation, and aggravate asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic lung diseases. Long-term exposure to dioxins and other carcinogenic chemicals has been linked to cancer. The corporation should take immediate measures to stop this.”
Official Response
Responding to the concerns, a senior Tambaram Corporation official said the civic body has instructed the private contractor not to burn garbage under any circumstances. “Waste must be collected and transported to the transfer point. We will verify the complaints and take necessary action to prevent such incidents,” the official assured.
