With smoke billowing from vast heaps of garbage piled for years together and several blocks of houses built under government schemes within sight, the Kapuluppada dumping yard stands testimony to the predicament of urban expanses in scientifically disposing solid waste.
Earlier, about 1000 tonnes of solid waste generated by the city every day used to be transported to the yard but over the last few months the quantity has come down to 500 to 600 tonnes owing to the efforts at decentralised waste management.
Within a short distance of the yard are around 8,000 housing units constructed under Rajiv Gruhakalpa and JNNURM, while Marikavalasa, Boruvanipalem, Drivers’ Colony, Saradanagar, Pata Paradesipalem, Kotta Paradesipalem and Kapuluppda are in the vicinity.
About 30 to 40 per cent living in the housing colonies have vacated because of the pollution caused by the yard. It forces them to spend thousands of rupees every month, says former Deputy Mayor K. Dorabbai. Around 50,000 people live in the colonies and villages, he says. Leachate from the dump flows into the sea through Kapuluppada stream.
The government had earmarked 200 acres of site at Tangudubilli as early as in 2010 and Rs.260 crore earmarked for scientific landfill. “The ministers from the district and successive Municipal Commissioners announced shifting of the yard there but nothing has materialised,” Mr. Dorababu has said alleging some unseen forces have been obstructing it. If for some reason the Tangudubilli land could not allotted, some other land should be given to shift the yard, he says.
Scientific landfill
A scientific landfill should be created in about 20 to 25 acres of the Kapuluppda yard and the rest utilised for any purpose thought fit by the government to solve the problems of residents nearby, he demanded at the yard on Wednesday.
Former corporators Perla Vijayachander and Pothina Hanumantha Rao and Peethala Murthy Yadav were present.
