TNPCB orders closure of Chitlapakkam incinerator

TNPCB orders closure of Chitlapakkam incinerator

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 12/12/2020

The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has directed the Chitlapakkam town panchayat to cease operations of the incinerator set up by the local body on the fringes of Chitlapakkam lake.

The panchayat comes under Chengalpet and consists of 18 wards. The local body has not obtained the necessary permissions from the pollution control board and other agencies to begin operation of the plant.

According to TNPCB, the local body had requested for an NoC from the district environmental engineer (DEE) in September 2020 without furnishing any required details.

Meanwhile, NGT too took suo motu cognizance of news reports about waste management in the local body and asked a joint committee to submit a report.

Accordingly, three weeks ago, a TNPCB official had visited the premises. The incinerator, which handles 5 tonnes a day is provided with air pollution control measures such as venture tank arrangements, quencher and wet scrubber attached to the stack.

However, since the incineratior is set up on the fringes of the lake maintained by the PWD, an NoC from the PWD is yet to be submitted to the pollution control board.

“The local body has installed the facility for handling the solid waste without obtaiining the authorization of the board under the provisions of solid waste management rules, 2016,” said a letter from TNPCB chairman and directed the local body to stop the operation of incineration facility.