Chennai Corporation plans to make one ward bin-free

Greater Chennai Corporation plans to make one ward 'bin-less' as a model for the city, aiming towards a 'bin-less' Chennai.

Following complaints from the public about damaged and overflowing dustbins across the city, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) is drawing up a plan to turn one ward bin-less.

With the civic body having floated tenders to obtain over 1,000 new bins and repair broken ones across the city recently, the vision to make the entire city bin-less — through 100% segregation of waste at source and 100% collection coverage as suggested in GCC’s City Climate Action Plan (CCAP) draft, 2022 — appears far-fetched, a senior official state.

Even as Mayor R. Priya, in her Budget Announcements for the financial year 2024-25, said the GCC would aim towards a bin-less Chennai, no instructions in this regard has been received so far, said senior officials in the Solid Waste Management department. “Only 100% outsourcing may reduce open dumping to get the city closer to being bin-less,” an official said.

According to the GCC, its 15 zones generate nearly 5,000 mixed waste daily that are collected at the two dumpyards in Perungudi (receives 2,300 tonnes to 2,500 tonnes daily) and Kodungaiyur (3,000 tonnes).

Ravi Kumar, a 52-year-old social activist, claimed open dumping and garbage burning were ongoing issues, particularly in Sowcarpet, Royapuram, and along the Cooum river near Napier Bridge and Wall Tax Road. He said areas like GKM Colony in Kolathur and vacant spots near Villivakkam MRTS often have waste piles. While door-to-door collection exists, unmanaged areas like water bodies and vacant lands remain vulnerable.

“Officials usually respond only when notified, not proactively. The government needs to raise awareness. Without bins, the issue may aggravate,” he stated. Similar issues were sighted near Velachery lake and in Saidapet, close to Adyar river.

Dilli Babu of Tondiarpet claimed the CCTV cameras placed where the GCC had set up boards warning against open dumping did not work and hence, people continued to dump waste in the open. This was making things difficult for pedestrians.