Chennai:
The shifting of the dumpyard in Bhaktavatchalam Nagar at Pazhavanthangal belonging to the St Thomas Mount-Pallavaram Cantonment Board may well be on the cards.
The sprawling 11-acre open ground, used as a dumpyard by the Board, is surrounded by thickly populated residential neighbourhoods, including Ganesapuram, Viswanathapuram, Venugopalapuram, Kanagammal Nagar, Telegraph, SBI, Hindu and Ranga Colonies. Also, educational institutions such as the AM Jain College are close by.
The burning of garbage, the resultant smoke and the foul odour have been a contentious issue in Pazhavanthangal for well over two decades.
Complaints of respiratory disorders and skin-related ailments have been reported by the local people, who have been exposed to irritants caused by burning all kinds of municipal waste.
Talking to City Express, R Jayaraman, President, Ganesapuram Residents' Welfare Association, said that the issue had been taken up with all the top government officials, including the district collector, besides the cantonment board authorities. "Health and safety are the twin issues," he said.
Social activist V Rama Rao recalled that signature campaigns had been undertaken in the past in this regard. After such a long-drawn struggle, a solution now appears to be in sight. Jayaraman said, "In recent weeks, the garbage dumping has almost stopped. We seldom see the main gates (of the dumpyard) open. I understand that the dumpyard is likely to be vacated. Thanks to the corporation for its intervention."
When asked, VNP Venkatraman, Chairman of the 12th Zone of Chennai Corporation who is also the local councillor (Ward 166), confirmed that steps were being taken to solve the problem once and for all. "We are planning to provide space in the corporation premises for the board to dump the waste. The issue will be resolved very soon to the satisfaction of the local people," he said.