Chennai Corporation spreads legacy waste along Pallikaranai marshland, claim activists

CHENNAI: Residents and activists from Pallikaranai have accused the Chennai Corporation of improperly handling waste management at the Pallikaranai marshland. They accuse the Corporation of conducting bio-mining on half of the city’s dumps at the Pallikaranai dumpyard, which has resulted in the spreading of both legacy waste and fresh waste into the marshland.

Alarmingly, the waste that was previously reported to be 400 metres away from the compound wall has now moved much closer, reaching just 100 metres. The Pallikaranai marshland is designated as a primary Ramsar site and is located below sea level.

A Francis, president, Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents’ Welfare Associations, stated: “The Corporation is responsible for effectively clearing waste through bio-mining in the Perungudi dumpyard. Instead of cleaning it up, they are spreading it into the marshland. Just a few weeks ago, the garbage that was 400 metres away from residential compound walls is now as close as 100 metres.”

He suggested lowering the garbage to 10 feet below the ground to prevent groundwater contamination especially when it rains. “Case in point: The Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road near the dumpyard was submerged during last year’s monsoon. And, the foul smell from the dumpyard is unbearable to not just the residents, but also the commuters. If local authorities bury the garbage properly, it will help recover the marshland,” he elaborated.

The Perungudi dumpyard spans over 225 acres, with 25 acres designated for the daily collection of fresh waste. Out of the 200 acres used for landfills, 110 acres have been recovered, while the remaining 90 acres are undergoing the bio-mining process.

D Raman, president, Federation of Sholinganallur Constituency Welfare Association, pointed out that the local body plans to implement a 500 MT capacity bio-CNG plant on the recovered land. “They want to install a 500-MT windrow compost plant, and a 1,200-MT automated materials recovery plant after the legacy waste is cleared from the dumpyard. But all the residents in the area are strongly opposed to it, as we want this land to be used as a park,” he stated.

When contacted, a senior Corporation official admitted to DT Next that the local body was planning to install two windrow composting plants on the recovered land at a cost of Rs 12 crore. Every day, the Perungudi dumpyard receives over 2,700 metric tonnes (MT) of fresh waste from the Teynampet, Kodambakkam, Valasaravakkam, Alandur, Perungudi, and Sholinganallur zones.

“The segregation of wet waste will begin in two months,” he added. “We’re spreading the waste to facilitate the bio-mining process at the Perungudi dumpyard, which is not progressing as planned. Since the work has slowed down, the garbage is piling up daily. We receive 2,700 MT of fresh waste each day from seven zones.”

According to the work order issued to the contractors, the bio-mining operations are expected to be completed by December 2025. “The work is divided into six packages. So far, 3 have been completed, and the remaining are underway. Delays in the cleaning process can be attributed to arbitration issues,” the official explained.