CHENNAI: The Kodungaiyur waste incinerator has not been completely shut down and is expected to restart soon after regulatory clearance, with rectification measures under way, a senior official from the Solid Waste Management official said.
The Corporation, even as it addresses compliance gaps, reiterated its commitment to roll out the proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) project at Kodungaiyur.
“The incinerator is only temporarily suspended. Such facilities require periodic maintenance when run continuously,” the official said.
The unit was ordered to stop following a joint inspection by the (TNPCB), GCC and district authorities on February 18, which flagged key lapses including an inadequate emission-control scrubber, poor housekeeping, accumulation of unprocessed waste and storage of over 100 tonnes of bottom ash within the premises.
The inspection came amid scrutiny triggered by a fact-finding report obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which highlighted gaps in monitoring several of the 48 environmental parameters mandated by TNPCB, raising questions over emission tracking and regulatory compliance at the facility.
Responding to concerns over GCC’s ability to operate incineration-based waste systems particularly after the earlier shutdown of the Manali incinerator the official said the Manali unit had become obsolete and unviable. : At Kodungaiyur, certain parameters were exceeded. We agree on that. Operations were therefore deferred, not permanently stopped,” he said.
The Corporation plans to restart the facility once TNPCB completes its review and grants clearance. Officials said corrective steps, including upgrades and compliance measures, are in progress.
“The project will address existing operational and environmental concerns. The public need not have apprehensions. The project has been meticulously planned and we’re adhering to all norms to ensure it’s environmentally and health sensitive. We’re proceeding with the WTE project,” the official explained.