Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan demands immediate removal of Somayampalayam dump yard, citing threats to elephants and environmental concerns. She urges the Tamil Nadu government to focus on waste management.
Coimbatore: Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan has called for the immediate removal of the Somayampalayam dump yard, which poses a significant threat to the lives of elephants in the region. In a press release issued on July 5, the MLA emphasized the need for the Tamil Nadu government to pay serious attention to waste management.
The dump yard is located in Somayampalayam village, adjacent to the Marudamalai forest area in Coimbatore district. Daily, garbage collected from surrounding residential areas is dumped at this site.
The Western Ghats and its foothills in Coimbatore district serve as a sanctuary for wild animals, including elephants. These animals, particularly elephants, venture out of the forest in search of food and water, often ending up at the Somayampalayam dump yard where they consume plastic waste. Alarmingly, dangerous waste materials such as sanitary napkins and masks have been found in elephant dung in the area, posing a lethal threat to the elephants.
The dump yard not only endangers elephants but also creates a conflict between humans and wildlife. Residents complain that elephants, attracted by the smell of garbage, intrude into residential areas and agricultural lands, causing havoc. Moreover, the natural gift of the Marudamalai area is facing environmental degradation due to the dump yard.
Vanathi Srinivasan urged for the immediate removal of the Somayampalayam dump yard, considering the welfare of both wild animals and the public. She suggested segregating the waste, converting biodegradable waste into compost, and selling non-biodegradable items like plastic to private industries. The MLA called for Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's intervention to resolve this issue and stressed that the Tamil Nadu government and local bodies should focus intensively on waste management.
The dump yard is located in Somayampalayam village, adjacent to the Marudamalai forest area in Coimbatore district. Daily, garbage collected from surrounding residential areas is dumped at this site.
The Western Ghats and its foothills in Coimbatore district serve as a sanctuary for wild animals, including elephants. These animals, particularly elephants, venture out of the forest in search of food and water, often ending up at the Somayampalayam dump yard where they consume plastic waste. Alarmingly, dangerous waste materials such as sanitary napkins and masks have been found in elephant dung in the area, posing a lethal threat to the elephants.
The dump yard not only endangers elephants but also creates a conflict between humans and wildlife. Residents complain that elephants, attracted by the smell of garbage, intrude into residential areas and agricultural lands, causing havoc. Moreover, the natural gift of the Marudamalai area is facing environmental degradation due to the dump yard.
Vanathi Srinivasan urged for the immediate removal of the Somayampalayam dump yard, considering the welfare of both wild animals and the public. She suggested segregating the waste, converting biodegradable waste into compost, and selling non-biodegradable items like plastic to private industries. The MLA called for Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's intervention to resolve this issue and stressed that the Tamil Nadu government and local bodies should focus intensively on waste management.