CHENNAI: The four-decade-long garbage dumping problem that had affected the Kannadapalayam residents, under the Tambaram Corporation, has now been addressed with the launch of a Solid Waste Transfer System.
Under the new system, set up for Rs 8.15 crore, garbage collected every day will be processed and transported on the same day instead of being dumped in open grounds for several days.
The Tambaram Corporation has introduced this project on a trial basis and will soon implement it in other zones. The 70-ward civic body generates nearly 400 tonnes of garbage per day. Over 1,600 contract cleanliness workers and 400 garbage collection vehicles are deployed for operation.
The garbage collected from different parts of Tambaram has been dumped in Kannadapalayam, Kadaperi, Pammal Visweshapuram and Madambakkam, causing severe health and environmental problems for residents. The waste was later transported to a processing yard in Kolathur village near Singaperumal Koil for segregation and recycling. Every month, the Corporation spends around Rs 4 crore on the process.
But delays cause piling up of waste in dumping yards, leading to sanitary issues and foul smells. To solve this problem, the civic body has introduced a new system in Zone 4 (Perungalathur), where 100 tonnes of garbage are collected daily. Biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste are now separated immediately after collection. Biodegradable waste is sent directly to compost centres, while other waste is transferred through the new facility at Kannadapalayam.
Eight modern garbage containers and four advanced hydraulic garbage trucks have been purchased. The garbage is compressed and sealed using hydraulic systems before being transported, preventing waste from spilling on roads and reducing foul odour.
Under the new system, garbage will no longer be dumped openly. Waste collection vehicles unload garbage into specially designed funnels at the transfer station. The waste is then compressed into large closed containers with a capacity of 15 tonnes each. Once full, the containers are sealed and loaded onto trucks for transport to the processing yard.
Officials said the system ensures that waste collected every day is removed and processed on the same day, preventing the formation of new garbage heaps.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has also said it will clear the old garbage mound at Kannadapalayam. Around 16,000 tonnes of accumulated waste had earlier been dumped there, but the volume has now reportedly reduced to around 6,000 tonnes after continuous removal work. The remaining waste is expected to be cleared gradually.
After the old dump yards are fully cleared, the Corporation also plans to develop the land into a public space with parks, fitness centres and vehicle parking facilities.