Report on Udhagai and Gudalur dump site, Tamil Nadu, 20/02/2020
Proceedings of the meeting conducted by the State Level Monitoring Committee of the National Green Tribunal for Solid Waste Management in Tamil Nadu held on February 1, 2020 on the matter of Udhagai and Gudalur dump site.
The Commissioner of Municipal Administration talked about the importance of carrying out the bio mining process of the legacy waste at Theetukkal dump yard and action taken in this regard. No fresh waste would be dumped in the site, once the bio mining process starts and the process of restoration of land in Sembakkam and Kumbankonam would start after bio mining.
The petitioner, P. Radhakrishnan - whose agricultural land is in the downstream, had complained that due to leachate formed in the dump site his lands got affected. But after the municipality constructed a compound wall and a drainage system was constructed to collect the leachate and dispose of it safely - now there are no leachate discharges in his land. The petitioner also pointed out that some quantity of waste was still dumped in his land for which the Commissioner gave directions for removal.
The report mentioned that inspections at Thorappalli, Gudalur has revealed that there is accumulation of bio medical waste and huge quantities of solid waste was found dumped in many places inside the forest.
The Monitoring Committee directed the Udaghamandalam Municipality to ensure that in Theetukkal and in any other place in the district, solid waste would not be subjected to open burning. Further, the Municipality would ensure that while carrying the waste through lorries proper coverage should be made, so that there is no spillage of waste on the road.