Coimbatore: Taking a serious view of environmental violations, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has issued a stern warning to Malumichampatti panchayat for dumping municipal waste in a water channel along the Eachanari-Chettipalayam road.In a letter to the Mathukarai block development officer, TNPCB, Coimbatore South, directed the local body to immediately clear the accumulated garbage from the waterway. The pollution control board emphasized that garbage disposal must be carried out strictly in accordance with the solid waste management rules. V Eswaran, president, Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam, who earlier petitioned TNPCB regarding the open dumping of municipal waste, said garbage had been dumped on nearly two acres of waterway near Zion Nagar, where around 200 families reside, at a height of 13ft. He urged authorities to remove the garbage immediately and direct the panchayat to identify a proper site for waste disposal and manage the same in accordance with rules. Residents had also petitioned the district administration, alleging that the panchayat had been dumping waste in the waterway for several years, causing serious sanitation and environmental concerns. The water channel, classified as Vaari Poramboke, is located near a railway gate, with a check dam just 200ft away. The dump yard reportedly catches fire 10-15 times a year, producing thick smoke that affects nearby residents and causing respiratory problems. TNPCB officials warned that strict action would be initiated against the panchayat if illegal dumping continues.
