Key Points

Originally inaugurated in 2015 by then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, the WTE plant was set up under a public-private partnership (PPP) to process municipal solid waste from Tambaram and Pallavaram.

Constructed for Rs 100 crore, the facility was designed to handle 300 tonnes of waste per day and generate 2.9 MW of electricity. Spread over 50 acres in the Venkatamangalam panchayat limits, the site lies close to residential areas housing nearly 5,000 families, including those in Rathinamangalam.

Seven years after its closure, the Tamil Nadu government has floated a tender to appoint consultants to prepare feasibility reports and offer transaction advisory services for reviving the WTE plant, along with a proposed facility to process construction and demolition (C&D) waste at the same site.

The announcement has triggered concern and anger among residents, who recall the adverse effects the earlier operation of the plant had on their health and environment. “People suffered from severe respiratory issues, nausea, and even groundwater contamination,” said G. Perumal, a resident.

“Students from nearby schools and colleges were especially affected,” he added.

Particularly vulnerable are the 30-odd families from the Irula community living adjacent to the defunct plant and former dump yard.

“The stench was unbearable. We had to run indoors and shut the doors tightly. Houseflies were all over our food,” said Lalitha, a resident of the Irular colony, highlighting the unsanitary conditions they endured.

Vengadamangalam Panchayat President Kalyani Ravi has warned that any move to revive the plant or introduce similar polluting facilities would be met with fierce resistance. “In 2013, we filed a case against the proposal in the Chengalpattu District Court, which was later transferred to the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In 2017, the NGT ordered the removal of dumped waste and issued a stay on further operations,” she said.

Kalyani urged the state government to use the land for community welfare projects instead. “A college or a primary health centre would serve the needs of the people in at least ten surrounding villages. Reviving the plant will only bring back pollution and distress,” she emphasised.

With memories of past struggles still fresh and concerns over public health unresolved, the people of Venkatamangalam are once again mobilising to protect their environment and livelihoods.

- IANS