Farmers, activists oppose waste dumping in abandoned quarries in Tamil Nadu

Farmers and environmental activists in Tamil Nadu have intensified opposition to the disposal of municipal solid waste in abandoned stone quarries, urging the state government to review policies that permit the practice.

Concerns have grown in several districts, including Tiruppur, where local bodies are alleged to be using disused quarry sites as dumping grounds for garbage collected from residential areas.

Campaigners say the practice could cause long-term environmental damage and pose serious risks to public health if stricter safeguards are not enforced.

Representations have reportedly been submitted to the state government seeking amendments to, or withdrawal of, a government order issued in February 2022 under the Reclamation, Restoration and Rehabilitation (RRR) framework.

A key point of contention is a provision that allows local authorities to use abandoned quarry pits for solid waste disposal. Environmental groups allege that the rule is being misused, with untreated and unsegregated waste being dumped directly into quarry sites without adequate scientific processing.

According to activists, such disposal methods could lead to groundwater contamination, soil degradation and air pollution, while also damaging the wider ecosystem.

They argue that many abandoned quarries naturally collect and store rainwater and could instead serve as valuable water-retention zones, particularly during periods of drought and water scarcity.

Campaigners warn that converting these areas into permanent waste disposal sites could permanently destroy their ecological value.

The issue has also been challenged through legal petitions in recent years. Judicial observations in related cases have reportedly stated that quarry pits may only be used for inert and scientifically processed waste under specific conditions and in compliance with the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

Farmers and environmental organisations are now demanding stricter implementation of waste segregation and scientific processing systems, along with stronger monitoring mechanisms to prevent environmental violations.

They have also urged the government to protect abandoned quarry sites from becoming unregulated dumping grounds and instead preserve them as environmentally significant resources.

With IANS inputs