Chennai: The residential area of English Electric Nagar, situated within Tambaram Corporation, is experiencing a severe waste management crisis. Once a promising neighbourhood, the area is now plagued by persistent smoke and foul odours, as it has effectively turned into an unofficial dumping ground.
The primary culprit behind this situation is OurLand, the corporation’s private contractor for solid waste management. Instead of transporting waste to designated dumpyards, garbage collectors have been bringing refuse back to their makeshift tents in English Electric Nagar. This improper disposal method involves extracting plastics and other recyclables, while the remaining waste is incinerated on-site, causing significant air pollution “We don’t make enough money with this job. We remove plastic and shoes from the garbage and burn the rest,” said one of the workers as he was unloading garbage from a vehicle. This method of waste disposal has created unbearable living conditions for residents. English Electric Nagar falls under zone two of Tambaram Corporation, near the 200ft Pallavaram-Thoraipakkam Radial Road. It is a rapidly developing residential area with new homeowners investing in properties and moving into newly built plots. However, these issues have prevented many from occupying their homes. A Saidapet resident, who bought a plot in 2007, expressed his frustration: “We hoped the civic body would improve facilities. How can we live in such conditions?”
Another resident, who moved in February, complained of health issues arising from the constant burning of garbage. “These workers have built makeshift tents here. They dump the garbage and burn it at night. It causes our eyes to burn. It is difficult to breathe,” he said. The president of the English Electric Nagar Plot and Resident Owners Association revealed that complaints had been lodged with the police and civic body nearly a year ago, but no action has been taken. “Nothing has changed. We want them to stop this,” the official said. OurLand’s director stated that workers are only permitted to dump garbage at the designated dumpyards in Kannadapalayam, Viswasapuram, and Madambakkam. “We are not aware of this issue. We can track where the vehicles are with the GPS facility, but we dismiss it assuming workers have stopped there to rest. We will check with our workers,” he said.
During a site visit on Monday, officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) were present to inspect the area following residents’ complaints. “We will send a report to the civic body to follow protocols. They cannot dump waste here,” a TNPCB official stated. The Zone 2 sanitary inspector assured residents that the garbage would be removed and that nighttime burning would be halted. “We will ensure the burning at night stops too,” he said. However, given the history of unheeded complaints, residents remain sceptical about the promised improvements. The ongoing waste management issues in English Electric Nagar highlight the need for stricter enforcement of waste disposal regulations and greater accountability from both private contractors and civic authorities. As the area continues to grow, the resolution of these issues is crucial for ensuring a safe and healthy living environment for its residents.
