Poor coordination between local bodies
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Urban planner S Naveen said the solution would require a coordinated waste management system across local body boundaries, rather than treating each locality as an isolated unit. He also said, “In rural and peri-urban areas, waste should be segregated at source, with organic waste composted locally and recyclable materials sent to authorised recovery centres. Joint monitoring and accountability are essential to prevent dumping and burning in public places,” he said. Kancheepuram district collector D Sneha said, “Necessary actions will be taken to ensure regular collection and resolve dumping of garbage at the earliest.
“Waste generation is increasing, but infrastructure and resources have not kept pace. Local bodies must jointly map waste generation, fix collection schedules and establish common processing facilities. Only non-recyclable rejects should be transported to designated disposal facilities. Despite repeated attempts, Iyyappanthangal panchayat chairperson Jamila was unavailable for comment. Download the TOI App.
Chennai: Plastic waste, discarded furniture, and meat waste are piling up along interior roads off Mount-Poonamallee High Road, turning residential areas near the city into dumping grounds. Residents blame irregular garbage collection and poor coordination among local bodies for this situation.
These areas generate at least 200 tonnes of garbage daily. “For more than five years, a 30-acre waterbody in Periya Kolathuvanchery has remained a major garbage dumping spot.
The waste is later burnt at night,” said S Easwaran, secretary of Jyothi Nagar residents’ welfare association. Areas such as Porur, Thelliyaragaram, Iyyappanthangal, Paraniputhur, Kolathuvanchery, Mugalivakkam and Kundrathur Main Road have become hotspots for indiscriminate dumping. Though these localities are only a few kilometres from Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) limits, residents say the absence of a coordinated waste management system has left them struggling to get the problem addressed. Residents also say that waste collected from households is dumped near water bodies and burnt at night, causing pollution and health hazards. Administrative boundaries compound the problem. Kolathuvanchery, Mangadu, and Koovur fall under Kancheepuram district, parts of adjoining areas toward Pallavaram fall under Chengalpet district, while some localities fall within Chennai Corporation limits While Paraniputhur. Panchayat officials collect waste only once or twice a week, often in the afternoon when most residents have left for work. They collect waste from a few houses and dump it near the waterbody. Waste from Mangadu is also brought here in an uncovered truck, which leaves a trail of garbage along the road.