SALEM: PMK leader and Rajya Sabha member Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Saturday urged Tamil Nadu govt to scrap its plan to set up a waste-to-energy incineration plant on 92 acres of land at Jageer Ammapalayam in Salem.Likening the proposed plant to “Hitler’s extermination camp,” Anbumani said it would endanger public health.Chief minister C Joseph Vijay had announced in the assembly that a 10 MW plant costing Rs 291 crore would be established in Salem and a 9 MW facility costing Rs 256 crore in Tirunelveli to generate electricity from solid waste. The Salem site was subsequently identified and work initiated.In a statement, Anbumani claimed waste incinerators had failed globally and were banned in several developed countries because of severe pollution. He said burning mixed waste, including plastics, released dioxins, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, mercury, carbon dioxide and furans, besides PM 2.5 and PM 10 particles.“These pollutants caused cancer, heart and respiratory diseases, infertility, liver damage, asthma and skin disorders,” he said. Stating that incinerators produced much higher toxin levels than coal plants, he warned that air and water contamination would pose serious health risks to residents within a 30km radius.The plant would consume 1.5 lakh litres of water daily, increasing pressure on groundwater, he said.The MP criticised govt for pursuing the project while cancelling schemes announced by the previous administration. “Waste from Salem, Namakkal, Erode, Dharmapuri and Karur would be transported to the facility, causing odour and spreading disease along the routes,” he said.He warned that a textile park planned in the area would worsen pollution through chemical effluents. He urged govt to segregate waste into wet, dry, sanitary and special categories, in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directive and the 2026 Solid Waste Management Rules.
