Garbage Dumping Woes Plague Rajiv Gandhi Salai Residents

Fast Summary

• Garbage is extensively piling up on service lanes of Rajiv Gandhi Salai (Old Mahabalipuram Road, OMR) beyond Chennai Corporation limits.
• Common problem areas include Navalur, Egattur, Siruseri, and Muttukadu.Waste is visible below footbridges, streetlights, vacant lots along roadsides.
• Residents have reported unsatisfactory waste management practices:

– Garbage often packed into cement bags and dumped roadside or burned near Muttukadu lake.
– Gated communities segregate waste but lack clarity on final disposal methods once outside.
– Clean-up efforts are sporadic and unstructured despite complaints.

• Harsha Koda of FOMRRA emphasized rural panchayats’ inadequacy in addressing the urban scale of solid waste challenges in these zones. He criticized the lack of vision for modern infrastructure needs as urban populations grow rapidly in this IT corridor area.
• A preliminary report on effective solutions developed after addressing Indore’s example (noted for Swachh Bharat Cleanest City awards) was submitted to MLA S.S.Balaji. A comprehensive action plan still awaits development.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The persistent issue of garbage accumulation along OMR highlights a critical gap between urbanization demands and administrative capability within local governance structures like village panchayats. Despite major economic activity from high-rise buildings and IT corporations in these areas, inefficient solid waste management poses health risks while undermining aesthetic conditions.

The example set by cities like Indore under Swachh Bharat suggests scalable steps toward modernizing practices such as segregation hubs, recycling plants integration with localized budgets. Action plans led by MLA involvement may mark progress-but success hinges upon improving technical capacity within grassroots administrators to meet the dense population’s needs responsibly without relying solely on ad hoc measures.

For more details read: The Hindu Article