R. Srikanth CHENNAI: Once known for its rich biodiversity and as a fresh water source, the Pallikaranai marsh today spews out toxic substances because of the dumping and burning of garbage at the Perungudi dump yard set up on a portion of the marsh. The Perungudi Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has not improved the situation as the marsh has lost its fresh water characteristic due to letting of untreated sewage water. K. Periasamy, president, Sri Sai Nagar Residents Associations, who suffers from blisters, a symptom associated with dioxin emission of burning garbage, said the establishment of the Perungudi dump yard by the Chennai Corporation at the marsh land was a blunder. He said that a study in 1996, by the Chennai Corporation, was against the location of the dumpyard in the marsh land. The study said it was not advisable to locate it as the area is flood-hazard zone. Also with residential layouts approved near the marsh, which was also a waterbody, the implications of leachate formation would be significant. The dumpyard is causing an irreparable damage to the environment and also affecting the residents living nearby, he added. S. Kannan, a resident of Rajeev Nagar, Thoraipakkam, said the impact of setting up an STP and dump yard in the marsh has resulted in air and water pollution. Residents have to shell out more money for purchasing water and medicine. Mr. Kannan said the heavy metals dumped in the landfill had contaminated the ground water making it unusable for any purpose. Mary Mani, president of Thoraipakkam Ladies Club, said the residents living around the Perungudi dump yard and the STP suffered from various ailments of throat pain, suffocation, cold and other health problems. Ms. Mani said two club members have died of cancer and two others are undergoing cancer treatment. Participants in a public hearing organised by the Expert Committee, Solid Waste Management, Pallikaranai Marsh Land, appointed by the Madras High Court, which was held on October 5, demanded that the Chennai Corporation implement the Municipal Solid Waste (Handling and Management) Rules, 2000. An estimated 1,500 tonnes of garbage generated in the city gets dumped in Perungudi. T.K. Ramkumar, an advocate and member of the expert committee, wanted a waste