October 28, 2012
Special Correspondent
THE HINDU
Kodungaiyur residents will organise a human chain on Monday to protest dumping of unsegregated garbage by the Chennai Corporation.
Addressing a press meet on Saturday, Perambur MLA, A. Soundararajan, said every house had been asked to send one member to represent the family in Kodungaiyurs ‘war against dumping of garbage’ in their locality. “My wife and I fall sick more often since we moved to Kodungaiyur,” he said.
Nagaratna, a resident of the locality, said the civic body was being insensitive to people living around the Perungudi and Kodungaiyur dumping yards. “The fires don’t seem to stop despite High Court ruling against burning of garbage. The stench coupled with the swarm of flies and other insects is unbearable,” she said.
Meanwhile, Chennai-based environmental organisation Community Environmental Monitoring (CEM) released pollution figures recorded at Kodungaiyur in February this year. The level of respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM) at two spots in the area during a 24-hour period was 131 microgram/cubic metre and 213 microgram/cubic metre.
According to Dharmesh Shah of CEM, heavy metals including lead, nickel and manganese were found in the air.
“These dust particles are less than 10 microns in diameter and when inhaled can accumulate in the respiratory system. The Indian national ambient air quality standard is 60 microgram/cubic metre and the level of RSPM recorded is several times higher,” he said.