Work for Thathaneri waste transfer station halfway complete

Madurai: Work for the waste transfer station that is being set up by Madurai corporation at Thathaneri has been completed 50%. The station is being built on the grounds of the Thathaneri crematorium, which was earlier used as a dump yard."Many of the parts needed for the station have arrived and will be assembled soon to begin functioning," said a senior corporation health official. The station is being built at a cost of around Rs 10 crore and will be able to handle around 200 metric tonnes of waste daily, said the official.The official said the station will serve as an important waste collection point where garbage is segregated and compacted, making for more efficient transport to the Vellakal dumpyard. "We will take fewer vehicles to carry waste to the dumpyard once the station starts functioning."Meanwhile, residents expressed concerns as they fear that the stench from the station will make it more difficult to live in the area. "Earlier the space was used as a dumpyard and that was very uncomfortable. But now, with waste being brought in from all over the city to the transfer station, it looks like it might get even worse," Selvam, a resident, said and added that it would be less of a problem if the station is maintained well and kept hygienic.Social activist V P Manikandan agreed that maintenance of the station is essential to ensure continued usefulness of the facility. "Beyond that, if waste is segregated at homes, then work for the sanitation workers at the transfer unit becomes much simpler and efficient," he added.