Smoke from Kottaivasal garbage dump in Nagapattinam chokes residents in the area

Thick smoke from frequent fires at the Kottavaisal garbage dump in Ward 33 of Nagapattinam Municipality continues to pose a health hazard to residents in nearby areas

Thick smoke from frequent fires at the Kottavaisal garbage dump in Ward 33 of Nagapattinam Municipality continues to pose a health hazard to residents in nearby areas.

On Thursday, R. Rajamma, 72, who came for an evening walk in the Kottaivasal park with her granddaughter with enthusiasm, stopped within a few minutes as the park was filled with smoke from the nearby garbage dump yard. “I wanted to walk for sometime here. But the smoke in the air here is suffocating. I feel dizzy now so I am going back,” she said.

Residents from various parts of the municipality, including Akkaraikulam, Kilkarai, Vadakarai, Thenkarai, Keerakkollai, and Akkarappettai come to the Kottavasal municipality park as a resting place. But the garbage dump next to it has made the park an unfriendly zone for senior citizens and children.

“Fire breaks out at least two times a week in the garbage dump. We don’t know whether they are setting fire purposefully. But smoke is a huge problem for us. Elders complain of eye irritation, breathing difficulty whereas small children feel tired easily,” said K. Maveeran from Vadakarai area in Akkaraikulam.

“No one should inhale this air, it can be hazardous. But we cannot do anything about it as the municipality does not care,” says S. Senthil from Keerakulam Street near the dump.

P. Raju, a motorist and a regular commuter through this road, pointed out that he tries to hold his breath whenever he crosses this dump fearing health risks and said it’s high time officials take some action.

“We have repeatedly appealed to the municipality for almost three years since they opened this garbage dump. This road is used by buses and other vehicles going from Nagapattinam to Velankanni, Thanjavur and Tiruvarur. Sometimes, depending upon the wind movement, smoke envelops Nagapattinam New bus stand. There is a Tangedco Substation here and many small shops alongside, workers who work there complain that they are unable to work because of frequent smoke,” said Venkatesan K., Town Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Nagapattinam.