Deccan Chronicle 20.02.2010

Garbage segregation yet to be implemented

Chennai , Feb. 19: The Chennai corporation is yet to implement the source segregation of garbage for effective handling of residential and commercial wastes even nine years after the union environment ministry’s Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Landfilling) rules came into force.

Though there were spurts of initiative from the corporation to implement it from time to time, it did not make much headway. “The segregation of garbage into degradable and non-degradable wastes is the only way for effective handling of garbage in the city,” said a civic activist. “But the co-operation of the public is vital.”

Despite the ban on burning of garbage, rag pickers still set fire to the garbage in many parts. Worse is the plight of the people living near the two notified dumping yards — Kodungaiyur and Perungudi— in the city where around 3, 500 tonnes of garbage is generated per day.

The city based Community Environment Monitoring had sent an air sample from Kodungaiyur to the United States for analysis. “The sample came back showing the presence of 33 toxic gases, five of which were carcinogenic,” says a resident of Kodungaiyur.

An official said the corporation had distributed seven lakh dustbins in the slums of Saidapet and Guindy for implementing source segregation.

“We are planning to implement the source segregation in all the wards of the corporation,” he added.

“We are also awaiting no objection certificate from the union environment ministry for implementing the integrated solid waste management programme in both the dumping yards,” said the Mayor M. Subramanian.