Urban News

The Hindu 04.11.2009

Encroachments in Adyar river to be removed today

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Encroachments on Keerai Thottam in the Adyar river at Saidapet will be removed on Wednesday. “There are about 42 grounds of “patta lands” on the riverbed and a team of officials would be visiting the area to ascertain the facts,” Mayor M. Subramanian said.

He was participating in a meeting on removal of encroachments from water courses, including the Adyar River and the Virugambakkam Canal, on Tuesday. Those having ‘pattas’ cultivate greens on the river bed. “During the monsoons, when the river gets freshwater, the gardens are washed away but later they get fresh sand to cultivate the greens. They claim that the patta was given to them under ryotwari classification,” he said.

The 42 grounds of garden lead to flooding in Chettytottam, Nerupumedu, Jothiammal Nagar, Jothi Thottam, Vinayagapuram, Rathna Thottam, Kothavalchavady TNSCB colony and Thideernagar.

“The work on the Alandur Road Causeway in Saidapet is expected to be completed soon. Once the encroachments are removed, the flow in the river would be good. Water will not stagnate and mosquitoes cannot breed,” Mr. Subramanian said.

Officials of the Chennai Corporation, Collectorate and Public Works Department took part in the meeting.

The Hindu 04.11.2009

Private firms to collect dry waste from houses

Deepa H Ramakrishnan

— File Photo

HANDLING garbage: The proposal to involve private agencies in recyclable waste management is likely to reduce load on garbage dumps of the Chennai Corporation.

CHENNAI: Private agencies will soon take up door-to-door collection of plastic and other recyclable and non-biodegradable waste in several parts of the city.

The Chennai Corporation has invited expression of interest (EOI) from private firms for awarding the contract in six of its 10 zones for three years. The selected firm would be required to collect the waste, including hardboards, tyres and paper, using its own men and machinery. The six zones are Tondiarpet, Basin Bridge, Ayanavaram, Anna Nagar, Nungambakkam and Saidapet.

A senior official said that the objective is to make households take up segregation of garbage on a regular basis. Already it is being tried out in four wards of Zone 5 (Anna Nagar) on a trial basis. Every month, about 45 tonnes of recyclable waste is being collected from the households.

ITC, which is involved in the operation, uses dry waste in its factories. It pays Rs.2 for a kg of such waste to the households, the official said. The Corporation provides tricycles to the ITC staff involved in the operation and the civic body’s conservancy staff accompany them on their rounds.

He said a few more companies had evinced interest to take up collection of such waste for use in their manufacturing facilities. “We are not taking the tender route, but only inviting expression of interest as there is a possibility of more companies participating that way. The idea is also to approach the issue of waste management in a different manner.”

Wet waste

However, the Corporation conservancy staff will continue to collect wet waste in the six zones and take them to the regular landfills. “If the initiative takes off, it will reduce the burden on landfills, help recycle waste and prevent further environmental damage,” another official said.