Madurai corpn goes rangoli way to check waste dumping
Among the most striking efforts is the use of rangoli — colourful traditional designs — at garbage-vulnerable points to dissuade people from dumping waste.
The corporation began drawing rangolis at spots notorious for illegal waste disposal, aiming to trigger a behavioural shift through visual appeal and cultural symbolism. "The initiative has been in place for about a month now, and while it's helping reduce waste in some areas, changing public habits takes time," said a senior health official.
In certain neighbourhoods, green nets have also been used to enclose dumping spots, and saplings have been planted to reclaim and beautify these areas.
J Abisekh, assistant city health officer, said the corporation made significant progress in recent months. "The rankings released this year were based on 2024 data. Since then, we've made major improvements in cleanliness. The number of garbage-vulnerable points dropped from 1,152 to 749 in the last four months," he said.
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"Apart from ongoing issues with sanitary workers, all other parameters improved — we increased collection vehicles and are issuing more fines for violations," he added.
Strict enforcement is another improvement of the city's renewed efforts. Fines are being levied on uncovered construction sites, debris-laden vehicles, and repeat waste offenders. Officials say fines of up to ₹1 lakh will be imposed on those who repeatedly flout norms.
Recently, the corporation also mandated green nets to be installed around construction sites and cover construction material-laden vehicles.
The corporation has approved installation of 80 AI-powered cameras to monitor overflowing garbage bins and improve clearance response times. The project, part of the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives (TANII) by State Planning Commission, will be implemented in the next two months at a cost of ₹75 lakh.
The corporation also recently launched a QR code-based tracking system in south zone. Around 200 QR codes have been installed across 18 wards to monitor movement of sanitary workers and offer residents a channel for grievance redressal.
"The system works, but people need to know what it's for. We're planning better outreach," a senior official said.
Residents and civic activists while welcoming the mixed approach said more consistency is needed.
N Nagendran, a resident of Nethaji Street, said that while waste dumping has reduced, the problem hasn't gone away entirely. "The rangoli is drawn once or twice a week. It helps, but some people still dump waste — the change has to come from the people too," he said.
M Raj Kumar, a civic activist, said such initiatives have been tried successfully in parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra. "It's good to see Madurai replicating these ideas. But unless the daily garbage collection improves — especially with so many worker protests — the impact will be limited. In some wards, five workers are assigned, but only two or three report for duty," he added.
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