Garbage staying uncleared for days on end is common sight in many residential colonies of Moovarasampet. Making matters worse, garbage is also set on fire in many of these places.
According to G. P. Babu, secretary, Federation of Moovarasampet Welfare Associations, “With the practice of setting fire to garbage becoming rampant in Moovarasampet, last August, the Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal passed a directive to the Moovarasampet Village Panchayat asking it to ensure that garbage was not dumped in Moovarasampet Lake. Instead of coming up with alternative arrangements to dispose of the garbage, the conservancy staff of the Panchayat have resorted to setting it on fire.”
Following the directive, there were plans to take the waste to a source segregation yard at Keerapakkam, off Grand Southern Trunk Road. But, no measures along those lines have been taken.
The office-bearers of the Federation however think carrying loads of waste collected from various neighbourhoods in Moovarasampet, to the yard at Keerapakkam, is not a feasible idea. They have suggested that a compost yard be set up in Moovarasampet and the garbage be segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.
“The biodegradable waste can be composted into organic manure and sold to the members of the public and this will generate some revenue for the Panchayat. It can also sell non-biodegradable waste such as plastics, paper, metals, steels and other kinds of trash to scrap dealers,” adds G. P. Babu.
