5 days ago
NGT directs Coimbatore Corporation to clear legacy waste at Vellalore dumpyard by year-end
The National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone), in a hearing held on June 23, 2025 (Monday), directed Coimbatore Corporation to carry out waste segregation on a war footing and clear the legacy waste at the Vellalore dump yard by the end of 2025.
The Corporation has been asked to submit a time-bound action plan in consultation with the Committee headed by the Additional Chief Secretary to the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply, which is monitoring the implementation of Solid, Liquid and Other Waste Management Rules.
During the hearing, the Tribunal noted that the segregation percentage had dropped from 36% in November 2023 to 15% in May 2025, while the volume of processed waste increased 64% to 85%. The Corporation stated that only three trommels were being used, which the Tribunal termed inadequate for handling the volume of legacy waste, estimated at over 9.9 lakh metric tonnes as of December 2024.
The Tribunal questioned the delay and called for the use of additional trommels or advanced machinery such as the Power Screen Warrior 1200 to increase daily processing capacity to at least 10,000 tonnes. It also sought a more detailed report on plantation activities on reclaimed land and instructed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to carry out monthly inspections and submit reports.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 7, 2025.
