Chennai Citizen Connect: Vacant land turns dumpyard in Old Washermenpet

CHENNAI: Residents expressed concern over a vacant land on Ramanujam Iyer Street in Old Washermenpet that has turned into a garbage dumping yard.

The street is located near the Sir Thiyagaraya Metro station, and hundreds of regular commuters and office goers are irked by the persistent garbage accumulation in the area. Civic activists urge the Chennai corporation officials to provide a permanent solution.

According to residents, the land is private property that the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) returned to the owner after the Metro works were completed. For the past few years, the eatery shop owners, residents, and passersby have been dumping garbage on the vacant land.

Ramesh Ramadoss, a resident and civic activist at Old Washermenpet, alleged, “This open site near the Sir Thiyagaraya metro station serves as a dumping ground for wet waste. The stench is unbearable and the space has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The residents living nearby experience sleepless nights due to the mosquito menace. The poor solid waste management on the street has caused a major inconvenience. The risk of the spread of viral fever is growing.”

Several hundred regular commuters in the locality use the Ramanujam Iyer Street to reach Tiruvottiyur High Road and other areas. Pedestrians can't bear the stench while crossing the particular stretch.

Concurring with him, another resident said, “Only once in three days, the cleanliness workers are clearing the garbage on the street. Also, no bins have been kept.”

When DT Next contacted, a senior official at the zonal level said, “If it is a private land, we impose a fine on the land owners who failed to fence the land. As the SWM is being undertaken by the private firm in the zone, we will ask the officials concerned to clear the garbage from the vacant land.”