Every development in Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dumpyards will be monitored live by officials at Ripon Buildings. The Chennai Corporation has started commissioning surveillance facility in Perungudi dumpyard by installation of CCTV to monitor the movement of people inside the 200 acre area. Work on the surveillance mechanism in 269 acre Kodungaiyur dumpyard will also be completed shortly. Around Rs.85 lakh is being spent on surveillance in the two dumpyards.
A total of 45 personnel will also be on duty in Perungudi for manual surveillance. Chennai Corporation Commissioner D. Karthikeyan had announced the installation of the surveillance cameras following the fire in the dumpyard a few weeks ago.
The civic body’s efforts will prevent trespassers who allegedly set fire to garbage. The effort may also help the civic body study the cause of the fires.
Chennai Corporation will also commence work on the remaining portion of the compound wall around the Perungudi dumping yard. The civic body officials have planned to expedite work on the construction of the wall following the Madras High Court directive to stop fires in the garbage dumpyard on the fringes of Pallikaranai marshland.
A few weeks ago, a fire had broken out at Pallikaranai dumpyard, and thick smoke emanating from it had engulfed many residential areas. As a chunk of the Pallikaranai marsh has been handed over to the Forest Department and the process of handing over the eco-sensitive marshland is under way, the Corporation has intensified its focus on constructing a wall around the Perungudi dumpyard, which is also part of the marsh.
The civic body generates over 4,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste on a daily basis at present, and has 10 dumping sites.
Residents have been constantly complaining of dust allergies, skin and eye irritation because of the fire in dumpyard.
