Deccan Herald 08.12.2009

Civic body seeks 50 acres for solid waste disposal

Dec. 7: The long-pending problem of solid waste management and safe garbage disposal should be resolved soon thanks to a Chennai corporation initiative. The corporation has written to Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Chengelpat collectors to allot 50 acres of land on the outskirts of the three districts for dumping and processing 3,400 tonnes of garbage generated in the city everyday.

At present, the corporation dumps garbage collected from all 10 zones in the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dumping yards. “We have been taking effective steps to ensure safe disposal of wastes. The integrated solid waste management system proposed by us would soon start progressing when we get approval,” a senior corporation official told DC. For this, the corporation would engage companies to segregate waste. But the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, which is the sole agency to clear environme-ntal issues with regard to the Perungudi dumping yard, has not given its approval. Also, clearance from Centre for the Kodungaiyur dumping yard is pending.

The tenders for the integrated solid waste management have been finalised. We are awaiting environmental clearance, the official said.