Latest news with #J.Kumaragurubaran
The Hindu
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Chennai Corporation forms technical committee to audit CMRL sites to reduce the risk of flooding this monsoon in all zones
: Owing to the rise in civic issues caused by blocked stormwater drains near Metrorail construction sites, Chennai Corporation has formed a committee to audit the proposed interventions of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL), and submit a report for further action to prevent flooding this monsoon. The civic agency is planning to take steps to divert stormwater, and implement pumping mechanisms to mitigate inundation, ahead of the onset of Northeast monsoon this year. The committee is expected to begin inspection of sites where residents have called for interventions to reduce the risk of flooding. Residents have demanded that measures be taken to prevent flooding near sites of underground metro stations in Purasawalkam, Sembium, Pattalam, Otteri, Mylapore, Adyar and Indira Nagar. Residents of areas such as Sterling Road, Gemini flyover, and Kodambakkam have also flagged the risk of flooding this monsoon. Last year, residents of more than 21 localities complained about blocked stormwater drains because of CMRL work. The risk of inundation at junctions such as Porur has also been high. Residents have also demanded interventions to resolve civic issues in the Alapakkam-Porur stretch of Metrorail. Even though work on constructing the elevated Metrorail stretch has had minimum impact on flood preparedness, experts have called for an alternative to the inadequate culverts to drain stormwater from the western part of Rajiv Gandhi Salai to Buckingham Canal. They have also stressed the need for sumps, shutter and pumping arrangements along Rajiv Gandhi Salai to prevent flooding. According to the order issued by Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran, the technical audit committee will consist of five members — Gandhimathinathan, Consultant, CRA; Balaji Narasimhan, Professor, IIT-Madras; T. Livingstone Eliazer, Chief General Manager (CGM), CMRL; Palanivel, Chief Engineer-CGM, Tamil Nadu Road Development Company; and S. Rajeswari, Chief Engineer (General), Greater Chennai Corporation.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Greater Chennai Corporation to form town vending committees for each zone, hold elections
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will hold elections to elect members of 15 Town Vending Committees (TVCs) — one for each zone — representing 35,588 registered vendors. A resolution regarding this was passed by the GCC Council, chaired by Mayor R. Priya with Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran, on Wednesday (May 28, 2025) at the Ripon Buildings in Chennai. Each committee will have 15 members. This comes close on the heels of the GCC designating 150 vending and 188 non-vending zones in April this year. Last year, the civic body constituted a singular vending committee for the whole of the city. The formation of zonal-level committees comes after many residents and vendors suggested that the GCC assign regional and sub-vending committees to address several issues flagged by them. The move, under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, is based on Government Order 4(D) No. 23, dated May 16, 2025, the resolution stated. According to the GCC, each TVC will include the Regional Deputy Commissioner as Chairperson, and officials from the Corporation, police, and local bodies as members. Six members will be elected from among street vendors, with one seat each reserved for individuals belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), Other Backward Class (OBC), and minorities, besides persons with disabilities, women, and the general category. Two representatives from traders' associations, two from NGOs or community-based organisations, and one from a residents' welfare association will be a part of the TVCs. Elections will be held on June 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. across all zones. Nominations will be accepted from June 16 to 18, with the scrutiny to be held on June 19. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is June 20. Final lists of candidates will be published on the same day. The counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on June 27, as per the schedule in the resolution passed. Returning Officers will be appointed to oversee the polling process, the GCC added.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Bio mining resumes in Kodungaiyur after a delay; GCC to expedite work
Chennai Corporation has resumed bio mining at Kodungaiyur dump yard and hopes to complete the work ahead of the scheduled target of February 2027. 'On May 12, permanent power supply was established to run packages 4 and 6 of the bio mining project in Kodungaiyur. The remaining four packages are expected to receive electrical connections by May 20. We will expedite the work,' said Chennai Corporation Commissioner. The bio mining project is a major initiative aimed at the scientific processing and reclamation of the long-standing waste dump located at Kodungaiyur, which spans over approximately 250 acres. For over four decades, wastes from Zones 1 to 8 of the city has been deposited at this site. 'The total waste to be processed is 66,52,506 tonnes and so far 11,06,521 tonnes have been processed,' said an official. The work is divided into six packages handled by three concessionaires Zigma Global Environ Solutions for packages 1, 4, and 6, Ramky Infrastructure Ltd. for packages 2 and 5 and Ascent-e-Digital Solutions for package 3. In view of the summer season, combustible materials pose a fire hazard. A 24x7 water tanker with sprayer has been stationed at each package. The GCC has also stationed two water lorries having a capacity of nine KL to handle the emergency situation. A water sump with a 1.5 lakh litre capacity is also available on-site at the dumpyard. Instructions have been issued to Package 3 concessionaire to hand over at least two acre of reclaimed land by June 30, 2025 for tree planting initiatives. A mega camp for rag pickers was conducted on April 26 to assist with obtaining Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter IDs, other mandatory documents and tenement allotments for those without housing. The GCC will provide employment opportunities based on educational qualifications, aiming to uplift their living standards. A letter of acceptance has been issued to Delhi MSW to install an Integrated Waste Processing Facility at the site. The installation timeline is three years. The planned facility capacities include waste to energy plant with a capacity of 2100 MT, bio-CNG plant 550 MT, material recovery facility 1200 MT and compost plant 1100 MT. A total of 4950 MT of fresh waste per day will be processed in the future. A sanitary landfill is also proposed as part of this integrated setup to manage future fresh waste sustainably, said an official.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
After Paris visit, Chennai Corporation plans to proceed with Kodungaiyur waste-to-energy plant project
After a delegation of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) engineers, led by Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran, visited the Ivry-sur-Seine waste incinerator in Paris recently, the Corporation plans to proceed with its plans to set up a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Kodungaiyur. 'GCC is planning to go ahead with the project in Kodungaiyur. A government order is to be passed soon in the State Finance Department, which is partially funding the project. The file is under review currently,' said an official, who visited the plant. The proposed plant in Kodungaiyur, estimated to cost ₹1,026.41 crore, would process 2,100 tonnes of waste daily and generate 31 mega watts of power. Meanwhile, residents have got experts to point out the environmental and health hazards caused by the WTE plants in Hyderabad and Paris — both presented as models that would be followed by Chennai. 'Flouting rules' The Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association (FNCRWA) and Chennai-based civil society organisations said the Hyderabad WTE facility operated by the Hyderabad MSW Energy Solutions (ReSustainability Ltd.) has been flouting the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Citing information from the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB), D.K. Chythenyen of the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) said the Hyderabad WTE plant had not conducted mandatory monitoring of hazardous pollutants — such as HCl, HF, CO, cadmium, thallium, mercury, dioxins and furans and total organic carbon — since its commissioning in 2020. According to documents submitted by the TGPCB to the Central Pollution Control Board for onward submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Hyderabad plant was listed among 16 plants that did not conduct bottom ash or fly ash analysis and submit leachate analysis reports. Moreover, it lacked full authorisation under the rules, placing it among the non-compliant WTE plants in the country. However, no penalties have been imposed on it, although the same operator's Delhi plant was reportedly fined ₹25 lakh for similar violations, a release from the federation said, citing the documents submitted to the NGT. The release also documented residents' testimonies of health issues in areas surrounding the plant, including skin and respiratory diseases, infertility, and eye problems. Communities as far as one kilometre from the plant reported foul odour. According to the residents, nearly 18 waterbodies, including the Gulla Pochamma Lake, were contaminated, and many families reported monthly medical expenses of up to ₹5,000 due to pollution-related illnesses, the release said. Meanwhile, Paris-based environmental organisation 'Collectif 3R' has sent its detailed findings of the Ivry-sur-Seine plant to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, GCC Commissioner, Chennai Mayor R. Priya, and the delegation of the dangers of WTE incineration. In the letter dated May 6, the organisation claimed there were alarming levels of toxic contamination near the plant. The letter, shared in a Facebook post, read: '...studies revealed widespread and dangerous levels of contamination in soil, water, vegetation, and even food such as farm eggs. France's national health agency has already confirmed that backyard chicken eggs in the region are too polluted to consume, due to dioxins and PFAS. In Paris, soil and moss samples taken near schools and public spaces in Ivry-sur-Seine and in the surrounding towns showed dioxin levels above EU safety thresholds, sometimes ten times higher than the maximum limit recommended by the European Union for food consumption...'. Massive heavy metal pollution was observed in moss samples taken from four schools too with levels exceeding 100 times the maximum recommended thresholds for food consumption for aluminium, cobalt, lead and tin. The organisation urged the Indian government to avoid Europe's mistakes and pursue sustainable zero-waste alternatives instead. 'This [the plant in Paris] is not a model to emulate. The Paris incinerator being studied by Chennai officials is a proven polluter, and residents here must take note,' said social activist Nityanand Jayaraman in a message on a networking platform, citing the findings of a Dutch non-profit research group 'Toxico Watch'. According to this study published in April 2025, dioxins and heavy metals were found in moss, vegetation and soil samples taken from locations near the incinerator, including schoolyards and childcare centres, he said. To these allegations, an official in the Solid Waste Management Department in the GCC said the studies would be reviewed.
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Greater Chennai Corporation's WTE plan faces more pushback residents, experts cite studies revealing pollution in Paris, Hyderabad plants
After a delegation of Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) engineers, led by Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran, visited the Ivry-sur-Seine waste incinerator in Paris recently, the Corporation plans to proceed with its plans to set up a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant in Kodungaiyur. 'GCC is planning to go ahead with the project in Kodungaiyur. A government order is to be passed soon in the State Finance Department, which is partially funding the project. The file is under review currently,' said an official, who visited the plant. The proposed plant in Kodungaiyur, estimated to cost ₹1,026.41 crore, would process 2,100 tonnes of waste daily and generate 31 mega watts of power. Meanwhile, residents have got experts to point out the environmental and health hazards caused by the WTE plants in Hyderabad and Paris — both presented as models that would be followed by Chennai. 'Flouting rules' The Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association (FNCRWA) and Chennai-based civil society organisations said the Hyderabad WTE facility operated by the Hyderabad MSW Energy Solutions (ReSustainability Ltd.) has been flouting the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Citing information from the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB), D.K. Chythenyen of the Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) said the Hyderabad WTE plant had not conducted mandatory monitoring of hazardous pollutants — such as HCl, HF, CO, cadmium, thallium, mercury, dioxins and furans and total organic carbon — since its commissioning in 2020. According to documents submitted by the TGPCB to the Central Pollution Control Board for onward submission to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Hyderabad plant was listed among 16 plants that did not conduct bottom ash or fly ash analysis and submit leachate analysis reports. Moreover, it lacked full authorisation under the rules, placing it among the non-compliant WTE plants in the country. However, no penalties have been imposed on it, although the same operator's Delhi plant was reportedly fined ₹25 lakh for similar violations, a release from the federation said, citing the documents submitted to the NGT. The release also documented residents' testimonies of health issues in areas surrounding the plant, including skin and respiratory diseases, infertility, and eye problems. Communities as far as one kilometre from the plant reported foul odour. According to the residents, nearly 18 waterbodies, including the Gulla Pochamma Lake, were contaminated, and many families reported monthly medical expenses of up to ₹5,000 due to pollution-related illnesses, the release said. Meanwhile, Paris-based environmental organisation 'Collectif 3R' has sent its detailed findings of the Ivry-sur-Seine plant to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, GCC Commissioner, Chennai Mayor R. Priya, and the delegation of the dangers of WTE incineration. In the letter dated May 6, the organisation claimed there were alarming levels of toxic contamination near the plant. The letter, shared in a Facebook post, read: '...studies revealed widespread and dangerous levels of contamination in soil, water, vegetation, and even food such as farm eggs. France's national health agency has already confirmed that backyard chicken eggs in the region are too polluted to consume, due to dioxins and PFAS. In Paris, soil and moss samples taken near schools and public spaces in Ivry-sur-Seine and in the surrounding towns showed dioxin levels above EU safety thresholds, sometimes ten times higher than the maximum limit recommended by the European Union for food consumption...'. Massive heavy metal pollution was observed in moss samples taken from four schools too with levels exceeding 100 times the maximum recommended thresholds for food consumption for aluminium, cobalt, lead and tin. The organisation urged the Indian government to avoid Europe's mistakes and pursue sustainable zero-waste alternatives instead. 'This [the plant in Paris] is not a model to emulate. The Paris incinerator being studied by Chennai officials is a proven polluter, and residents here must take note,' said social activist Nityanand Jayaraman in a message on a networking platform, citing the findings of a Dutch non-profit research group 'Toxico Watch'. According to this study published in April 2025, dioxins and heavy metals were found in moss, vegetation and soil samples taken from locations near the incinerator, including schoolyards and childcare centres, he said. To these allegations, an official in the Solid Waste Management Department in the GCC said the studies would be reviewed.
