Councillors of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) are calling for the establishment of dedicated Standing Committees focused on food safety and solid waste management. These proposed committees, aimed at addressing crucial urban challenges, were highlighted as essential steps to improve public health, prevent environmental degradation, and ensure better accountability within the city’s governance. The GCC Mayor, however, noted that implementing such committees would require a State-level policy amendment, in accordance with the Chennai City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) Act of 1919.
Currently, the GCC operates with six standing committees: Public Health, Town Planning, Works, Taxation and Finance, and Education and Accounts. Ward 12 councillor strongly advocated for a separate standing committee dedicated to solid waste management, citing issues with open dumping and inadequate waste segregation. These challenges, councillors say, are leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and pollution within the city. The Mayor suggested that this could be proposed to the State when the Council’s expansion from 200 to 300 councillors is confirmed, though some councillors argued that waiting could further delay addressing critical waste issues.
The council also heard from the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Health, who stated that without cooperation from relevant officials, departments cannot effectively address waste management concerns. The councillor highlighted the lack of access to necessary data on waste collected in the city, despite repeated requests to the Solid Waste Management Department. Frustration over persistent issues such as unregulated industrial waste dumping and the lack of response to open dumping complaints was evident, as councillors underscored the need for a specialised committee to streamline and enforce solid waste management.
Food safety concerns also took centre stage in the discussion, as another councillor recalled recent incidents where fungus-infested bread was found at a major supermarket outlet. The councillor called for a dedicated committee on food safety to proactively tackle similar issues, a task that was previously managed by the Chennai Corporation. This, she argued, would enable faster responses and more robust monitoring to prevent the sale of contaminated food in the city. However, the Mayor clarified that the formation of additional standing committees would require a Government Order or amendments to the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) Act, which currently limits the number of standing committees to six.
This debate underscores the urgent need for sustainable governance solutions in Chennai, as city leaders recognise that dedicated focus areas like waste management and food safety are vital to urban health and environmental sustainability. The proposed committees could help Chennai address critical civic and health issues, improving quality of life and safeguarding public health amidst rapid urban growth.
