Chennai Corporation to probe complaints of improper waste dumping in Ambattur Industrial Estate and Nolambur

A team of GCC officials with a assistant executive engineer of the ward will be deployed to inspect the area and resolve the problem as soon as possible, says official

Garbage bags seen dumped on the side of a street in Mogappair West | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A few private agencies responsible for handling waste from bulk waste generators (BWGs) in Ambattur Industrial Estate and Nolambur, falling under ward 143 in zone 11, are allegedly dumping unsegregated hazardous, electrical, and meat waste and domestic garbage on the streets, said workers of the company. Now, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will look into the issue, as this is a violation of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

“There are 60 BWGs in zone 11, including restaurants and commercial areas, of which nearly 30 domestic BWGs are in ward 143 alone. Each apartment complex has over 500 flats. We have placed 82 bins in the ward based on the population density according to GCC guidelines. An average of 240 tonnes of waste is cleared in zone 11 daily and sent to the respective processing units,” an official said.

Every morning, vehicles of private agencies that collect mixed waste from apartments must be checked by officials. Unsegregated waste, including meat, diapers, hazardous medical waste, and electrical waste, was found in the bundles, sources said. Clearing the waste would require extra manual support, and there was a risk that workers might be exposed to hazardous waste since they were not aware of the content in the bags, the sources added.

Rules for non-biodegradable dry waste and biodegradable wet waste

As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, all bulk waste generators producing more than 100 kg per day – residents’ welfare associations, individual residences, gated communities, institutions, restaurants, hotels – must avail of these service providers to manage waste on their premises to reduce garbage sent to landfill sites.

The guidelines of the GCC mandate that authorised firms, as per an empanelment list are authorised to provide solid waste (non-biodegradable dry waste) recycling and biodegradable wet waste processing services for onsite home composting of solid waste. Pricing details are not fixed by the GCC. Service providers must adhere to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Central Pollution Control Board norms and other relevant laws.

A Councillor in zone 11 said bulk waste from neighbouring zones 7 and 10 was being dumped in the locality, worsening the problem, and added that a police case was filed against one of the service providers found to be indulging in open dumping.

Additional Commissioner (Health) Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy said it was the responsibility of the private agencies to collect the waste and process it appropriately. A team of GCC officials with a assistant executive engineer of the ward would be deployed to inspect the area and resolve the problem as soon as possible.

“A similar case was identified in Virugambakkam recently and action was taken again those responsible. The same will be done here,” Mr. Reddy said.