CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has issued an official notice instructing the Kodungaiyur waste incineration plant to cease its operations immediately.
According to the notice from the Superintending Engineer of the Solid Waste Management Department, the plant must suspend all activities from the date of receipt of the letter. Furthermore, the facility is required to submit a comprehensive compliance report within three days, addressing all 48 environmental parameters mandated by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
A joint inspection was conducted on February 18 by officials from the TNPCB, GCC, and the District Revenue Office. During the inspection, several issues were identified, including insufficient water scrubber systems to control emissions effectively, poor housekeeping at the site, an accumulation of unprocessed waste, and the storage of over 100 tonnes of bottom ash.
The deficiencies highlighted significant operational shortcomings and failure to adhere to statutory environmental guidelines and the terms of the concession agreement. The authorities emphasized the urgent need for the installation and proper functioning of a continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) linked with TNPCB servers to ensure regulatory compliance.