Chennai residents oppose PPP waste projects near Pallikaranai marshland
Alarmed by the threat to the fragile Pallikaranai marshland ecosystem, residents of southern Chennai have announced a protest campaign against proposed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) solid waste management projects inside the Perungudi dumpyard. The campaign, led by local welfare associations and environmental activists, demands the immediate relocation of the dumpyard and a halt to infrastructure expansion that could compromise the wetland’s ecological balance.
With Tamil Nadu’s Assembly elections approaching in 2026, resident groups across areas like Thoraipakkam and Velachery are mobilising to bring environmental concerns into the electoral discourse. Their primary concern: PPP projects being planned at the dumpyard site are likely to pollute the marshland further, reversing gains made from ongoing biomining operations. “The government allowed biomining on the condition that it would reduce legacy waste. But now, new projects like incinerators and waste-to-energy plants threaten to destroy the Pallikaranai wetland permanently,” said S. Kumararaja, coordinator of the Save Pallikaranai Marshland movement. “We will not allow any commercial activity once biomining ends. The wetland must be restored.”
Residents argue that the Perungudi landfill, located perilously close to the marsh, has already contributed to severe leachate runoff and methane emissions, degrading the habitat of migratory birds and aquatic species. Their new campaign calls for transparency and a halt to all future waste infrastructure plans within the wetland zone. Environmentalists warn that continued activity within the marshland zone would violate both ecological safeguards and constitutional rights to a clean environment. The Pallikaranai marsh is a designated reserve wetland and one of the last surviving natural wetlands in Chennai, covering over 1,300 hectares. It acts as a flood buffer and carbon sink for the city and is listed under the National Wetland Inventory by the Ministry of Environment.
Ironically, an earlier attempt to relocate the Perungudi dumpyard to the outskirts of Chennai during the AIADMK regime failed due to protests from suburban residents who feared health and groundwater impacts. With the relocation shelved, the Greater Chennai Corporation has since doubled down on upgrading existing sites like Perungudi instead of identifying sustainable alternatives. Officials maintain that no final decisions have been made and that public consultations will precede any project launch. “PPP projects will be implemented only after formal engagement with stakeholders, including environmental clearance,” said a senior civic officer. But residents remain sceptical, citing previous instances of bypassing public opinion in development matters.
The upcoming campaign is expected to include petitions, legal representations, street demonstrations, and social media outreach. Local stakeholders say the movement goes beyond a single wetland—it’s about redefining Chennai’s urban development trajectory to ensure environmental resilience. With rising urbanisation, mounting municipal waste, and shrinking green cover, the residents’ campaign at Pallikaranai is emerging as a flashpoint for broader debates on sustainable city planning and environmental justice in Tamil Nadu.
