The Hindu : Front Page : Garbage burning again at Kodungaiyur

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 18, 2006

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Garbage burning again at Kodungaiyur

Karthik Subramanian

A blanket of thick smoke engulfs the residential colonies in the evenings Over the last two weeks, miscreants have started burning garbage on the 400-acre dumping ground

CHENNAI: An old problem has come back to haunt residents of Kodungaiyur and adjoining areas in North Chennai. After a respite of some months, the residents say miscreants have started burning mixed garbage on the 400-acre dumping ground over the last two weeks.

A blanket of thick smoke engulfs the residential colonies in the evenings. The just concluded Bhogi was especially tough.

"Visibility dropped to a minimum and the smoke made our eyes burn. We could not even breathe properly," recalls P. Ganesan, a resident of Krishnamoorthy Nagar in Kodungaiyur. He is a member of Ever Vigilant Citizens Welfare Association that has been demanding relocation of the dumping ground.

Corporation officials admit there have been problems in the last few days, but claim the situation has improved. They blame metal scrap dealers for the problem.

Difficulty in monitoring

"They have been burning discarded tyres to collect the scrap metal. Though we have restricted access from the front side of the dumping ground, it is difficult to monitor the 400-acre spread of land," says an official.

Scientific landfill

The civic agency rules out relocating the dumping ground as no alternative site has been approved.

It now plans to carry out remediation of the site and develop it as a scientific landfill.

The project will figure in the National Urban Renewal Mission.

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