Full credit to the Alandur Municipality for taking a series of steps to check smoke pollution, albeit on the prodding of NGOs and the Madras High Court.

Residents of the area around the suburban Velachery-Tambaram Road where the dumpyard exists are now happy. “Though dumping continues, there is no smoke or burning and we are happy,” says K Kumaresan a resident of Mayilai Balaji Nagar.

The Alandur Municipality’s initiatives include erecting powerful lamps all along the dumpsite as burning had happened after sundown in the past. Construction of a compound wall, deployment of security personnel and stationing a water tanker are the other steps taken by the local body to curb burning.

So far, more than a dozen 500-Watt sodium lamps have been installed throughout the 15-acre dumpyard. A watchtower with focus lamps is also in place besides an approach road for authorised municipal trucks to unload garbage. The building of a compound wall is almost over and 10 security personnel man the site round the clock.

According to a municipal official, the steps are aimed at completely stopping burning by unscrupulous elements. The works were taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 90 lakh. “The dumping of garbage will be permanently shifted to Vengadamangalam dumpyard near Vandalur by next year. Till such time the litter is dumped here, we are committed to ensure absolutely no burning.”

Principal Secretary to the government (Municipal Administration), Niranjan Mardi and the Director of Municipal Administration, P Senthil Kumar, recently conducted an inspection of the dumpsite and instructed officials to complete works soon.

Navin Shushant, Company Secretary, California Software Company Ltd (the company is one of the petitioners in the garbage burning case), which is located adjacent to the dumpsite, wants the local body to take more steps to ensure nil smoke and burning.

A writ petition on the garbage burning issue is still pending in the Madra High Court in which the Alandur Municipality is a respondent.