The quantity of hazardous waste generated in Chennai from firecrackers came down by 20% this Deepavali.
According to a press release from the Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner G. Prakash, the quantity of hazardous waste has reduced from 22.58 tonnes in 2019 to 18 tonnes this year.
The southern region of the Greater Chennai Corporation generated the highest quantity of such waste in the past three days.
Three tonnes generated
The Madhavaram zone in the northern region generated more than three tonnes of hazardous waste during the festival.
Tondiarpet, Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, Alandur and Valasaravakkam generated more than one tonne of waste from crackers on Saturday. Zones such as Tiruvottiyur did not generate any waste.
According to the data provided in the press release, most of the hazardous waste from crackers is yet to be processed for safe disposal. The hazardous waste was dumped at SIPCOT, Gummidipoondi, last year.
Economic conditions
Officials said the quantity of hazardous waste had come down because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the economic condition of many residents.
Residents of some neighbourhoods like Chetpet said they found the streets clean this Deepavali. But some residents complained that the hazardous waste had not been collected properly.
Chennai Corporation officials said they deployed more than 19,500 conservancy workers for cleaning the streets during Deepavali.
The city generates around 4,500 tonnes of solid waste every day.
The waste is dumped at Perungudi and Kodungaiyur.