Green activists voice against waste-to-energy plant in Kodungaiyur

CHENNAI: With the Greater Chennai Corporation floating a tender to construct a waste-to-energy plant in Kodungaiyur, activists in the city oppose the move and warned that incineration of waste will cause severe pollution and environmental degradation in North Chennai.

Environmental organizations including Poovulagin Nanbargal, Chennai Climate Action Group, Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group and Centre for Financial Accountability have commenced 'No Burn Chennai' campaign against the proposed waste-to-energy incineration plant.

In an online meeting conducted on Saturday, Geo Damin of Poovulagin Nanbargal said that the corporate world is promoting false solutions and blaming people for not segregating and recycling their waste.

"But, plastic cannot be recycled by any means. Plastic is not only non-degradable but also toxic. Waste-to-energy plants are also a part of false solutions, " he said.

He added that North Chennai is already polluted heavily and the incineration plant will exacerbate the problem further. "We should move towards a need-based economy from a profit-based economy, " he opined.

D Chytenyan of Centre for Financial Accountability pointed out Delhi has become one of the most polluted cities in the world as it burns 70 per cent of the total garbage generated. "Everyone blaming stubble burning is the cause for air pollution in Delhi. But, a study conducted in IIT-Madras in 2022 found chloride in the air, which is generated by garbage burning. Chennai plans a plant with 2,100 tonnes capacity.

Burning this amount of garbage will emit pollutants equivalent to 10 lakh cars. The plant will generate only 21MW, which is just 0.1 per cent of States demand, " he added.

Afroz, a researcher of Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group pointed out that the civic body had already constructed an incinerator plant to produce construction material in Chinna Mathur near Manali but pollutants from the plant affects the people and ash are deposited in nearby Puzhal and Korattur lakes.

Vishwaja Sampath of Chennai Climate Action Group said that setting up of waste-to-energy plants is an environmental discrimination against the people of North Chennai, which is already heavily polluted by 34 red category industries in Manali.