Madurai’s Vellakkal dump yard reeks of several issues

Madurai: Deputy mayor T Nagarajan criticised private contractors and civic authorities over poor waste management at the Vellakkal dump yard.

Nagarajan visited the dump yard on Friday following complaints from Pamban Nagar residents of terrible odour, mosquitoes, pest infestations and severe illness. “Many are forced to leave their homes during the rainy season because of the unlivable conditions.” he said.

He said the inspection exposed systemic failures in the yard’s daily operations. “The private firm which was awarded a multi-crore waste management contract back in Nov 2022 was found to be operating in complete violation of its terms.” Instead of employing waste segregation machinery, the company has heavily relied on around hundred laborers working under highly perilous conditions, alongside a subcontracted firm, costing the Madurai corporation more than Rs 62,000 daily just to clear pathways at Vellakkal, he said.

Nagarajan also said there is no segregation of recyclable waste. “The recyclable waste should be sold and the money must be transferred to the corporation, but instead, unknown parties are making a profit by selling waste,” Nagarajan said. He further accused the contractor of manipulating waste weight by mixing stones and soil.

A structural breach in the yard’s compound wall has left the site unsecured. Nagarajan said around 150 scavengers, including children, are risking their lives while collecting waste without any protective gear. He said unprotected workers and children working amid hazardous stench at the site is human rights and health violation.

Following the visit to the dump yard, Nagarajan visited the 125 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) near Vellakkal. He said STP was only being used to about 20% of its capacity. “The treated sewage water is let out along with the untreated sewage water, rendering the STP completely useless.” He added that treated water with sewage is being used to irrigate a spinach garden.

A senior corporation official said, “We are currently working on several projects to deal with waste segregation and composting outside of Vellakkal. Once these projects are completed, the waste going to the dump yard will be sorted,” he said. He added that the broken compound wall will be fixed and that fogging drives will be intensified to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

The official also said at the STP, treated water will be diverted to flow separately and untreated water will be blocked from entering the garden. “We will slowly increase the capacity of water being let into the STP so that it is operating at full capacity,” the official said.