The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal said it was alarming to see reports that microplastics are being found in groundwater samples taken from wells near the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dump yards.
The bench of Justice K. Ramakrishnan and expert member Dr. K. Satyagopal, said the entire garbage generated and collected from Chennai and other suburbs was being dumped in these dump yards. “Even now these dump yards lack proper scientific disposal. On the basis of the direction given by this Tribunal in some other matter, steps are being taken by the Greater Chennai Corporation to dispose of the legacy waste in the dump yards,” the bench said.
Since the issue reported was of a grave nature, the bench directed a joint committee to inspect the area and come up with suitable recommendations and suggestions as to how this can be mitigated in an effective manner. The Committee has been directed to take water samples from nearby wells in and around the Perungudi dump yard and also consider the air samples from the available monitoring station near the dump yard.
The committee has also been directed to take samples in Chennai area to find out whether microplastics are found in groundwater as well as in the atmosphere that is being unknowingly consumed by the public, resulting in other unknown diseases as well. The Committee has been directed to file a report before August 27 to the Tribunal.