Frequent fires in many of the 78 sites where uprooted trees were dumped after the cyclone are causing pollution in residential neighbourhoods, disrupting traffic and making residents anxious.
On Thursday, a fire was reported at Kotturpuram park around 12.05 p.m. Three fire tenders were deployed till late in the evening. Traffic was affected on arterial roads and many residents were forced to stay indoors.
Over the past week, fires have been reported in such dumpsites in Egmore and K.K. Nagar among other places. Large quantities of uprooted trees are still dumped in playgrounds in areas such as Egmore, Kilpauk, Anna Nagar, Gopalapuram, Alandur, Nandambakkam, Shenoy Nagar, Koyambedu, Kodambakkam, Vadapalani, T. Nagar, Perungudi, Injambakkam, MRC Nagar, Perambur and Kodungaiyur.
Following the fires, the Greater Chennai Corporation is in a scramble to remove the green waste dumped in such localities.
“We have started removing the uprooted trees in some localities. All the waste will be cleared in five days,” said an official of the Corporation. Civic officials have been promising to clear the green waste for a fortnight now but nothing much has been done on the ground. Now, the civic officials blame migrant labourers for the fires. “Groups of migrant labourers, who remain homeless in many parts of the city, light bonfires to keep warm at night. This was revealed in our study of the fires,” said a Corporation official. They also claimed that youths were setting fire to the green waste in playgrounds such as Egmore.
Corporation workers and fire service personnel have been stationed at the 78 dumpsites to prevent accidents. Ward-level officials have also started roping in residents’ associations to sensitise people to make sure such accidents are avoided.
N. Mathavan, a disaster management expert, said waste accumulation had also reduced the open space in many residential areas.
“Each neighbourhood needs an open space for residents to gather during any disaster such as an earthquake. The playgrounds should be cleared immediately. Residents’ associations have to play a proactive role as the number of Corporation workers is inadequate,” he said.
Shobha Menon of Nizhal stressed the need for the management of the uprooted trees in each neighbourhood of the city.
Civic officials are exploring alternatives to reduce the risk of fire accidents in the temporary dumpsites.
