Residents of North Chennai and civil society organizations have formally lodged a complaint with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to halt the proposed waste-to-energy incinerator plant in Kodungaiyur. The facility, which plans to incinerate 2,100 tonnes of mixed waste daily, has sparked significant opposition due to potential health and environmental concerns. Kodungaiyur already hosts numerous industrial units and Chennai’s largest landfill, heightening worries about pollution escalation. Activists argue that the plant could worsen health problems, such as respiratory issues, cancer, and developmental concerns in children.
Critics also highlight the environmental repercussions, noting that the plant’s emissions could raise the city’s carbon footprint to the equivalent of emissions from 892,000 passenger cars each day. Furthermore, generating electricity at the plant would cost approximately ₹7 per unit, making it one of the priciest in India.
The complaint encourages a shift in waste management strategies, advocating for waste segregation, decentralized processing, and more stringent enforcement of solid waste management laws as alternatives to new incinerators. The groups emphasize that these measures could more effectively tackle Chennai’s waste challenges without the environmental and health risks posed by the incinerator.
Original Story https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/residents-protest-plan-to-set-up-incinerator-plant-in-kodungaiyur/article68833050.ece
Category : Chennai
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