Frequent garbage burning sparks pollution concerns in Tambaram

Chennai: Two months ago, heaps of garbage dumped near Thiruvanchery, near Tambaram Corporation limits, were set on fire by local panchayat workers, filling the area with thick smoke and a foul smell. Residents say this is not an isolated incident. Across several neighbourhoods within Tambaram Corporation, garbage collected from households is routinely dumped and burnt by sanitary workers in the open, causing severe air pollution and raising health concerns.Tambaram Corporation generates around 450 metric tonnes of waste every day and has a waste transfer system in place. However residents of Pallavaram and Chromepet said garbage is collected from interior localities thrice a week. As a result, waste piles up in public spaces, attracting stray animals and creating unhygienic conditions. This is later set on fire by sanitation workers employed by a private contractor in the civic body.David Manohar, an activist and resident of Pallavaram, said open burning of garbage has become a daily occurrence in several parts of the corporation. “According to the corporation’s norms, waste should be collected, segregated and transported from transfer points to landfill sites for processing. But this is not monitoring properly. When residents object to garbage being burnt in one area, the workers burn it another location,” he said.Residents also pointed out that green waste is often not collected regularly, leading to further accumulation. S Kumaran, a member of the United Residents Welfare Association, said the implementation of the corporation’s solid waste management initiative, is limited. “The project is currently confined to one zone. Despite repeated complaints, officials only say that it will be expanded. Meanwhile, lake bunds and vacant plots continue to be used as dumping grounds,” he said.Darwin Annadurai, an environmental activist said, “Most of the garbage dumped outside are plastics, burning them emits toxic pollutants like dioxins and carbon monoxide and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) into the air. Exposure to these pollutants can cause coughing, throat irritation, which can aggravate asthma, bronchitis, and other chronic lung diseases. Long-term exposure to dioxins and other carcinogenic chemicals has been linked to cancer, the corporation should take immediate measures to stop this.”Responding to the concerns, a senior Tambaram Corporation official said the civic body has instructed the private contractor not to burn garbage under any circumstances. “Waste must be collected and transported to the transfer point. We will verify the complaints and take necessary action to prevent such incidents,” the official said.