Tiruppur, May 25: Concerns are rising in Tamil Nadu regarding the policy that allows municipal solid waste to be dumped in stone quarries. Farmers and environmental activists are urging the state government to reconsider the existing provisions that permit such disposal methods.
This demand comes amid allegations that local bodies are using abandoned quarry sites to dispose of waste collected from residential areas in districts including Tiruppur.
Environmental groups and farmers fear that without strict safety measures, this practice could lead to long-term damage to natural resources and public health.
Reports indicate that petitions have been submitted to the state government, requesting amendments or the withdrawal of a government order issued in February 2022 under the Reclamation, Restoration, and Rehabilitation (RRR) framework.
Particular concern has been raised about a provision that allows local bodies to use quarry pits for solid waste disposal. Activists argue that the misuse of this provision is rapidly increasing. Allegations suggest that untreated and unsorted municipal waste is being dumped directly into quarry sites without proper scientific processing.
According to them, such practices pose risks of soil erosion, groundwater pollution, air pollution, and widespread environmental impacts. There are also concerns that abandoned quarry areas, which have the potential to serve as water conservation zones, could gradually lose their ecological significance if converted into permanent waste disposal sites.
Environmental activists assert that many of these quarries naturally collect rainwater and can serve as valuable resources during water crises.
In recent years, this issue has reached legal platforms, with petitions filed in judicial bodies challenging the dumping of waste in quarries.
Legal comments have reportedly indicated that the use of abandoned quarries should only be for inert and scientifically processed waste under specific circumstances, in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Farmers and environmental groups are now demanding strict enforcement of waste segregation and processing measures to prevent environmental violations. They have also urged authorities to protect abandoned quarry sites and prevent them from being turned into irregular waste disposal areas.
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