Construction waste dumped in Pallikaranai marsh

CHENNAI: In a blatant violation of the environmental and Chennai Corporation norms, unknown persons have been dumping construction waste in the middle of ecologically-sensitive Pallikaranai marshland.

Prasanth Gowtham of Arappor Iyakkam said that the miscreants had also laid a temporary road using the debris in the middle of the marsh along OMR-Pallavaram Road near Telephone Nagar Main Road. “During the last year also, a similar incident occurred, and it was stopped after an intervention. Now again, construction waste is being dumped in the marsh. Earlier, they dumped at the edges of the marsh, now they are dumping in the middle. The authorities take serious measures to prevent this,” he urged.

When asked, D Rajasekar, the zonal officer of Sholinganallur, said that he had not received any complaint pertaining to the recent dumping. “However, I’ll direct the concerned executive engineer to check the area and file a report. Based on the report, action will be taken,” he assured.

As per a Chennai Corporation order, the residents should dump construction waste at designated locations to prevent dumping in waterways and lakes. The civic body had designated 15 locations across the city.

Despite the civic body imposing penalties against the violators on many occasions, miscreants continue to flout the norm. It had collected around Rs. 4 lakh as penalty from persons who dumped construction waste in unauthorised spots, till April second week.

Recently, the GCC also has identified nearly 120 spots in the city where miscreants dump debris repeatedly, which are mostly waterways and waterbodies.