The Hindu        29.03.2011

Firm continues dumping garbage at Kurumampet yard

Despite orders from the Environment Department, garbage continues to be dumped at the Kurumampet yard in Puducherry. — Photo: T.Singaravelou

The Puducherry Municipal Services Private Limited (PMSPL) continues to dump garbage at the Kurumampet yard despite a notice from the Environment Department warning “criminal action” against its Managing Director for flouting regulations. The garbage was also being burnt, posing serious health hazard to the people in the neighbourhood.

Students of the Rajiv Gandhi Government Veterinary College, located right next to the yard, complained that the smoke from the burning garbage engulfed their campus every day, resulting in discomfort. This sometimes resulted in burning sensation in the chest and the eyes, forcing them to shut doors and windows and remain inside their classes, they said.

According to Secretary to Government (Environment) Theva Neethi Dhas, after the Environment Department received petitions from activists on the issue, a team of the Puducherry Pollution Control Board visited the yard and collected evidence on garbage dumping. “Following their report, a show-cause notice was issued to the Commissioner of the Oulgaret Municipality, which was the owner of the land, and the Managing Director of the PMSPL asking why criminal action should not be initiated against them on this issue,” he said. Apart from the health concerns for the people in the vicinity, the fact that the yard was located near the Ossudu Lake, which was declared a bird sanctuary in 2008, has raised concerns about the effect of the smoke on the migratory birds. Deputy Conservator of Forests Anil Kumar said that though the Environment Department had asked for a clarification on whether the yard fell under the Ossudu's protected area, they were never informed about the dumping. He said the smoke that arose from the yard would have serious implications for the birds and would keep them away from the lake.

Also, as the yard is located within five km of the protected lake, it was mandatory for the Municipality as well as the company to conduct an Environment Impact Assessment and a Public Hearing before converting the land into an area for garbage segregation, said Mr. Dhas. “We do not have information on whether they had approached the Ministry of Environment and Forests for any clearance. However, the process would take long time to complete as it involved a lot of technicalities,” he said. When contacted, the PMSPL management said that the matter was “sub-judice” and refused to comment, though the actual litigation involved a dispute on the bid for the garbage collection and not the question of dumping garbage at the Kurumampet site.