Fire at Chennai Dumpyard Sparks Pollution Complaints Across Five Wards
A fire that broke out at the Kodungaiyur dumpyard in north Chennai on Sunday has led to pollution complaints from residents across five wards in the Perambur and Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar Assembly constituencies. The incident has raised concerns over public health and safety, with authorities confirming that coordination efforts are underway to address the issue.
Ward 41 councillor B. Vimala reported receiving numerous complaints from residents in her ward. 'Residents of Ezhil Nagar, Chandrasekar Nagar, and MGR Nagar in ward 41 have complained of pollution. Children and the elderly have been the hardest hit. There have been complaints of eye irritation, and ash particles have been found in food. The public health risk is high for over 10,000 families in the ward,' she said.
T.K. Shanmugham, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents' Welfare Association, said that residents of wards 34, 35, and 37 in the Perambur constituency, and wards 38 and 41 in the Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, have complained about the pollution caused by the fire. He added that residents have demanded that the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) increase surveillance to prevent such fires in the dumpyard and take action against officials responsible for the incident.
According to GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran, the fire started around 9:30 a.m., likely due to methane gas and atmospheric heat. It was reported below the high-tension (HT) lines of TANTRANSCO, the state power transmission utility. The fire took three hours to extinguish, followed by two hours of smoke management. Five fire tenders, 10 water lorries, and several earthmovers were deployed. The HT line was temporarily switched off, with alternative power supply provided to affected substations during operations. Senior officials, including the GCC Joint Commissioner (Health), Regional Deputy Commissioner (North), District Fire Officer, and Managing Director of TANTRANSCO, were on site to coordinate efforts. Sameeran stated that a meeting with the Fire and Rescue Services is planned to discuss installing sprinklers to prevent future fires in dumpyards.
No injuries or casualties have been reported from the fire. The GCC has assured that further steps will be taken to mitigate health risks and enhance safety measures.
