COIMBATORE: Several lakh residents around Vellalore, Podanur and LG Nagar plan to stage a mass protest in front of the local minister's house, demanding shifting of the Vellalore dumping yard from their neighborhood as it is causing health hazards.
About 1000 tonnes of garbage collected from city mixed with hotel waste, bio-medical and industrial waste are being dumped at Vellalore dump yard daily.
Children and senior citizens residing around Vellalore, Eshwar Nagar, Arul Murugan Nagar, Podanur, Konavaikalpalayam, LG Nagar, Sri Ram Nagar and RAF quarters are affected and frequently fall sick after inhaling the foul smell and smoke that emanates from the dumping yard round the clock.
A case has been filed by MDMK state youth wing secretary Eshwaran is in the Green Tribunal, demanding removal of the dumping yard from the residential area.
Despite receiving warnings and directions from the court, the corporation is apathetic, complain residents.
The private company that has taken the contract sets fire to the garbage in the dump yard without segregatin g the garbage. A week ago, a huge fire spread across the dump yard, allegedly triggered by the contractor's negligence. It took five days to bring the fire under control after media reports highlighted the issue.
The city corporation commissioner Vijaya Karthikeyan has now asked a five-member committee to probe the issue.
Meanwhile, on Monday evening the dump yard was set on fire again by unknown persons. Thousands of students preparing for their annual and public exams suffered.
Martin, 33, a resident from Chettipalayam road told the DC, that people who took houses on rent have vacated in large numbers from this area and the land value has gone down. Children frequently get admitted in hospital.
