CHENNAI: Developed by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) near Kasturba Nagar railway station in Adyar, the Miyawaki forest has become a dumping ground for plastic waste, liquor bottles and household garbage, prompting residents to seek immediate civic intervention.
Residents of Kasturba Nagar and members of the Adyar Kasturba Nagar-South Residents’ Welfare Association (AKNSRWA) alleged that people living along Canal Bank Road have been dumping waste inside the fenced urban forest, undermining its purpose as a green lung. Regular walkers fumed that repeated complaints to civic officials over the past few months have yielded little action.
Developed around four years ago, the Miyawaki forest was created using the Japanese afforestation method with dense native tree species to improve the neighbourhood’s green cover. However, residents said the site was now poorly maintained and has become an eyesore.
B Balaj, vice-president of AKNS RWA, elaborated, “We welcomed the creation of the forest and the adjoining walking track, but the approach road is poorly lit, which enables anti-social activities. The forest stretches for around 1.5 km. While the pathway was initially clean and well-maintained, untreated sewage has been illegally let into the Buckingham Canal on one side, and garbage dumped inside the forest has created an unbearable stench.”
Resident Hema Thirunarayanan piped in that the forest has been subjected to continuous dumping over the past four months. “Residents use the walking track every day. But people living along Canal Bank Road are throwing liquor bottles, clothes, plastic and food waste into the dense green space. The GCC must remove the waste immediately,” she added. “Officials must be careful during the clean-up, as snakes have been spotted inside the forest.”
Workers maintaining the park said they regularly clear waste from the walking path, but littering continues. They also pointed out that some animal lovers feed stray dogs inside the walking area, adding to the maintenance challenges.
A senior Corporation official told DT Next that the civic body would undertake a clean-up with the assistance of firefighters and cleanliness workers, considering the presence of snakes inside the forest. “Measures will also be taken to prevent further dumping of waste,” the official added.