T’puram: Erumakuzhy, once celebrated as a model of the city corporation’s successful transformation of a notorious legacy waste dump into a landscaped public space, is once again witnessing illegal garbage accumulation, triggering concern among residents and traders along Attakulangara–Killipalam Road corridor. Locals say heaps of mixed waste have reappeared at the reclaimed site over the past few weeks. However, the corporation’s health officials said the waste had been removed and that it was the handiwork of antisocial elements.Located near Attakulangara on the busy Killipalam Road, Erumakuzhy had for decades functioned as one of the city’s largest open dumping grounds. During the previous LDF-led council, the corporation undertook a major remediation project, scientifically processing around 1,600 tonnes of legacy waste through biomining before reclaiming nearly 30 cents. The site was later converted into Sanmathi Park with landscaped greenery and a material recovery facility and was widely recognized as a model project for legacy waste remediation in Kerala.Residents now allege that the reclaimed area is slowly losing its transformed appearance due to indiscriminate dumping.“We were proud when the old garbage mound disappeared. The place became clean, people started walking here and the surroundings improved. But now, waste is again piling up, and the foul smell is returning,” said Ramesh S R, a resident living near the site.Shopkeepers along the stretch said the fresh dumping has become a daily nuisance. Meanwhile, corporation health standing committee chairperson M R Gopan said the garbage had been dumped illegally by anti-social elements and was removed immediately after media reports highlighted the issue.“The waste was not dumped by corporation. It was illegally discarded by certain anti-social elements, and we cleared it as soon as the matter came to our attention. Efforts are now under way to restore the aesthetics of the place to its earlier condition. Erumakuzhy had become pathetic during the previous LDF regime itself. We will soon begin refurbishment works for the park there,” Gopan told TOI.He added that the assistant commissioner of police in charge of city police control room has been designated to oversee action against illegal waste dumping across the city. A dedicated police team, supported by corporation’s health squad, has also been constituted to identify offenders and strengthen enforcement against illegal dumping.
