Residents of north Chennai, along with civil society organisations, on Tuesday filed a formal complaint with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), urging the cancellation of a proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur.
The plant, intended to burn 2,100 tonnes of mixed garbage daily, is facing intense opposition due to concern over its potential health and environmental risks. Kodungaiyur is home to numerous industrial facilities, including 36 large-scale factories, and the city’s largest garbage dump.
Activists and local communities argue that the WTE plant will exacerbate pollution, contributing to serious health issues, including respiratory problems, cancer, and developmental concerns in children. In addition to health hazards, the proposed plant has been criticised for its possible environmental impact. In the representation, the groups say that the incinerator’s emissions will significantly increase the city’s carbon footprint, equivalent to the daily emissions of 8,92,000 passenger cars. The high cost of electricity produced by the plant — around ₹7 per unit — will make it one of the costliest in the country.
The representation advocates for a shift in waste management policies, emphasising waste segregation, decentralised processing, and stricter enforcement of solid waste management laws rather than the construction of polluting incinerators.
Published – November 06, 2024 12:44 am IST