Residents have demanded that the State government take measures to shelve the waste-to-energy proposal in Kodungaiyur and close the existing dumpyard, and to resolve the civic issues faced by residents of Perambur, the constituency of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay.

The residents want the 352-acre dumpyard to be utilised for eco-restoration projects.

After the announcement on Saturday that Mr. Vijay will hold the portfolio of Municipal Administration, residents of north Chennai started discussing with local TVK party functionaries, who participated in the protest against the waste-to-energy project last year.

They also demanded the closure of the dumpyard after biomining is completed in a few months.

T.K. Shanmugham, president of the Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Associations, said residents have decided to meet the Chief Minister to explain about the civic issues due to the existence of the dumpyard in Perambur constituency.

“We want the State government to take measures to close the dumpyard in Kodungaiyur. The waste-to-energy project is part of the DMK manifesto. Residents have opposed the project since it can affect public health,” Mr. Shanmugham said.

“During the election campaign, residents were opposing the plant in Kodungaiyur. We have already conveyed the message to Health Minister K.G. Arunraj to shelve the project. Before the Assembly elections, the residents organised a human chain against the plant,” he said.

A. Francis, president of the Federation of Thoraipakkam Residents’ Welfare Associations, said the residents in south Chennai have also demanded the closure of the Perungudi dumpyard and protect the Pallikaranai marshland.

“A large number of residential buildings, IT companies, schools, colleges, and hospitals are located near the Perungudi dumpyard. The State government should ask the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to close the Perungudi dumpyard after completing biomining. The marshland should be restored to original condition,” he said.

K. Pandurangan, vice president of Thoraipakkam Anand Nagar Vinayaga Nagar Owners’ Welfare Association, said: “The bad odour from the Perungudi dumpyard is intense. The groundwater is polluted. Residents report deterioration of public health. The GCC should stop dumping of waste and stop all activities of solid waste management,” he said.

In a post on X on Saturday, Chennai Corporation Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran said that 37 lakh tonnes of waste have been processed out of 66 lakh tonnes in Kodungaiyur.

Even as residents were hoping for a solution to the persistent civic issues near the dumpyard, the civic body’s engineers, who manage solid waste, stressed the need for modern waste management facilities in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi and have advised senior officials not to hand over the land for eco-restoration purposes.

With the Chief Minister retaining the municipal administration portfolio, residents are hoping for an innovative solution to the waste management issues.