If you are a resident of Tambaram or Pallavaram suffering unchecked garbage stagnation and poor sanitation hold on.

The contractor entrusted by the zero waste management centre to compost 300 tonnes of garbage has abandoned the project.

Thus for two years, Tambaram and Pallavaram municipalities would dump their waste without any scientific treatment, polluting the Kannadapalayam and Ganapthi Nagar localities.

The municipalities have adopted resolutions to float fresh tenders and identify a new contractor who would treat the solid waste generated in these congested suburbs of Kancheepuram district.

“Life in Pallavaram is becoming worse and the residents are facing a lot of problems because of the frequent burning of garbage.

A lot of public money has been swindled in the name of Venkatamangalam yard project,” alleged former CPI(M) councillor Narasimhan, who is also resident of Pallavaram.

Pallavaram municipal sources said the underground drainage connection and modern integrated compost centre at Venkatamangalam was proposed four years ago, but even half the work has not yet been done for the project.

The underground drainage work progressed at a snail’s pace and has reached completion.

“The compost waste centre project at an estimated cost of Rs 45 crore has come to a halt because of contractual problems and now the Mumbai-based private firm has abandoned the project. Soon fresh tenders will be floated to identify a contractor,” sources said.

Recently, Tambaram municipality adopted a resolution permitting the adjacent Pallavaram municipality to identify the contractor and both the municipalities would use the common zero waste centre to treat solid waste, Tambaram municipal sources said.

Pallikaranai marsh poses chemical threat

Two years ago, the CAG in its report had warned that the state pollution control board was not monitoring the discharge of waste in Chennai.

The all-India study by the audit authority had also confirmed that two water samples collected from the dumpsite at Pallikarnai marsh had revealed that dissolved solids, chlorides and cadmium were present beyond permissible levels.

The study last week by the Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation Research of Anna University at the Pallikaranai marsh has recorded high levels of carbon diooxide, ranging above the permissible level.

The level of another pollutant — carbon monoxide — recorded between 3 to 20 micrograms / cubic metre during the study and this is above the permitted limit of 4 micro grams/ cubic metre/ hour, the director of centre, Prof A Ramachandran, said in a statement.

Over the last few years, the residents in neighbouring areas have suffered from health problems such as respiratory problems, nausea and head aches.

Residents have been complaining about severe health effects for a long time but no action has been taken by the corporation to control the fires or protecting public health.

At present, none of the emissions are being monitored by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board.
The chemicals affect every part of the human body including the brain, eyes, skin, respiratory system, reproductive system, central nervous system liver and kidneys.

An air sample taken by Community Environmental Monitoring (CEM) at Kodungaiyur dumpyard during a fire on the March 12 revealed the presence of at least 19 toxic chemicals, including three carcinogens, said Dharmesh Shah, India co-ordinator, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).

“The chief ministers pet project on saving Pallikaranai is an eye opener and it is high time that the swamp is protected,” said K.V.R.K. Thirunaranan, founder, The Nature Trust.

The recent bird census during the dry summer season has recorded more than 5,000 migratory birds and hence there is a need for more conservation efforts, he said.