Graveyard turns into dump yard in Chitlapakkam

“Earlier, people used to dump waste in the Chitlapakkam lake. But that had changed a bit after the lake was restored. Now, the cemetery has come in handy for people to get rid of their garbage. Even sanitary workers are dumping garbage in the place and set it on fire, posing a grave health hazard,” said Veluswamy U, a resident of Chitlapakkam. “We have complained to the panchayat, but nothing has been done to stall the dumping,” he added.

The cemetery is located next to the Chitlapakkam lake and a private school. Locals say that school children are forced to close their windows as the stench emanating from the dumped garbage becomes intolerable. Prabha Karan R, another resident of Chitlapakkam, said, “The graveyard is set to be cleaned and beautified with a sanction of Rs 20 lakh from the MLAs local area development fund. But only 10 to 15 per cent of the work has been done and there is no sign of it getting completed.”

Although conceding to the dumping of garbage in the cemetery, locals say it is not by choice but owing to poor garbage collection in the areas. “We are forced to dispose of the trash, as garbage collection by conservancy staff fails to take place on a regular basis,” a resident said.

Prabha Karan further said, “We recently planned to plant some greenery alongside the dump yard and turn it into a park, keeping a small portion aside for the crematorium. However, as the panchayat started burning waste here, we are unable to do it.”

When contacted on the matter, Chitlapakkam Panchayat Executive Officer K Ganesan said, “We are creating awareness among residents and have started imposing fine on those shops nearby and the public found dumping waste in the graveyard.” “We need cooperation from residents to keep the cemetery clean and that alone can bring about a lasting solution,” he added.