The Chennai District Forest Office has asked the Chennai Corporation to freeze dumping of wastes in Pallikaranai marshland, pointing to rising pollution of the marsh. Studies have shown that cows that graze in the marsh area have produced milk with high concentration of toxic heavy metals.
Corporation officials say they have been taking several initiatives on stopping the disposal of municipal solid waste in the eco-sensitive area.
They point out remediation of the dumpyard is being planned. “We have already taken measures to find alternate locations. Land parcels in Minjur and Kuthambakkam were identified. But we had to shelve the project because of opposition by local residents. We are exploring alternatives. But it remains a challenge,” said a Corporation official.
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Leaching of metals
According to a study, the leaching of heavy metals has risen significantly in the marsh because of dumping of at least 2,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. For example, chromium content in the ground water has been found to be varying between 1.43 mg/L and 2.8 mg/L during the dry and wet seasons. “This is unsuitable for drinking, agriculture and discharge into inland surface water,” said an official. Similarly, heavy metals such as lead, iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc and cadmium have been found to be rising owing to leaching from the Perungudi dumpyard, which has been developed by the Chennai Corporation in 172 hectares of the eco-sensitive marshland.
Chennai Corporation has handed over a large parcel of land in the marsh in the southern part of the Radial Road to the Forest Department for eco-restoration.
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In 2011, the Forest Department officials found that the Corporation was dumping waste over 65 hectares of marsh land. “The area may touch 100 hectares soon,” said an official.