Chennai: If you live in a gated community, run a hotel or restaurant, own a shopping mall, hospital or marriage hall, make sure your waste is being segregated and processed at source. Otherwise, you could be the next stop in the Greater Chennai Corporation’s surprise inspection drive, with violations attracting fines and legal action.The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has launched citywide surprise inspections at gated communities and other bulk waste generators (BWGs) to enforce the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.GCC commissioner GS Sameeran on Friday conducted a surprise inspection at Kushal Garden Apartments on Poonamallee High Road in Kilpauk. They verified whether the apartment complex had completed mandatory registration on the GCC and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) portals, followed source segregation, maintained colour-coded bins on wet, dry and hazardous waste, processed wet waste on-site, stored recyclable dry waste separately, and maintained sanitation standards. “Similar inspections by officials will be carried out in each of their jurisdiction everyday,” the commissioner said.Interacting with residents’ welfare association representatives and residents, Sameeran instructed them to rectify deficiencies identified during the inspection within the stipulated timeframe.The commisioner said bulk waste generators must segregate waste at source into biodegradable, non-biodegradable, sanitary and hazardous categories, use the prescribed green, blue, red and black bins, and process biodegradable waste within their premises through composting or biogas facilities.The city has 3,204 bulk waste generators out of which 2,743 (86%) have registered with GCC, while only 514 (16%) have registered with the Central Pollution Control Board. Some zones like Kodambakkam, with 411 bulk waste generators, have only 55% registrations, followed by Alandur with 67%.Adyar zone with 317 bulk waste generators, and Manali, with 212 industries, have shown 100% compliance. While in Anna Nagar, 82 people have registered, higher than GCC’s estimated 77 BWGs, showing a 106% compliance. Anyone generating over 100 kgs of waste a day becomes a bulk waste generator.Currently, the GCC just allows their solid waste management contractors to collect the waste but for the future, they are working on a policy.“We will be hiring quality private contractors to collect the bulk waste and charge the residents. The previous system failed as the contractors collected waste, and ended up dumping them in GCC bins. Their focus was just in getting the waste out of the apartment. Now, we will ensure they have adequate processing facility, and explore recyling options and monetary tapping of waste,” the commissioner said.The corporation has collected fines worth ₹5.1 lakh on bulk waste generators between July 1 and July 23 for violating the rules. The new policy will roll out shortly.
