Dumping and burning of waste continues along Uyyakondan in Tiruchi

Despite repeated complaints, unregulated dumping of solid waste and its burning by sanitation workers continue unabated along stretches of the Uyyakondan river in Tiruchi, raising persistent environmental and public health concerns among residents and farmers.

Large heaps of waste — including food waste, discarded plastics, thermocol, and animal refuse — are found dumped at multiple locations along the riverbank between the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital area and the Allithurai bridge. Commuters frequently spot waste accumulation near the Iniyanallur bridge behind Vasan Veli, close to the Somarasampettai burial ground, and at several points along the canal-side road.

What has added to the concern is the routine practice of setting fire to the waste. Sanitation workers, residents allege, often burn the waste without segregation, releasing toxic fumes and leaving behind partially charred plastic and ash that eventually find their way into the canal. The practice is said to be particularly frequent along the Allithurai Road, which passes through Nachikurichi panchayat limits.

Waste from at least five panchayats — Adhavathur, Somarasampettai, Nachikurichi, Malliyampathu, and Allithurai — is reportedly dumped along the bank of the canal, along with refuse from marriage halls, fish markets, and commercial establishments within Tiruchi city. Poor segregation at source and the absence of systematic monitoring have allowed the problem to persist, affecting water quality and the surrounding agricultural land.

Farmers have urged the Water Resources Organisation of the Public Works Department to intervene decisively. “The canal and the road along it come under the WRO. Without strict enforcement, the Uyyakondan channel will continue to be polluted,” said Vayalur N. Rajendran, treasurer of the farmers’ wing of the Tamil Manila Congress.

While transporting waste to the Ariyamangalam dump yard is seen as a long-term solution, panchayat officials cite financial constraints and logistical difficulties in moving waste over long distances. Officials of the WRO, meanwhile, have acknowledged the issue and said efforts were made to persuade local bodies to stop dumping waste along the riverbank, though manpower shortages have hampered enforcement.

The continuing pollution assumes added significance as work is under way for a 6.4-km road from the Ring Road to Allithurai, aimed at developing the canal-side road into a motorable stretch for light vehicles. Residents fear that unless waste management issues are addressed urgently, the project could worsen the environmental damage rather than improve access.