Vellore Corporation continues to dump garbage in Palar, say residents
VELLORE: Less than a month after they were warned of a penalty if found dumping garbage into the Palar River, residents of Ward 17 in Vellore Corporation have accused corporation vehicles of continuing to. . .
VELLORE: Less than a month after they were warned of a penalty if found dumping garbage into the Palar River, residents of Ward 17 in Vellore Corporation have accused corporation vehicles of continuing to dump waste here. Over 5,000 people residing in the area are exposed to dirty air, foul stench, and health risks from severe pollution. P Hansika* (45), a resident of Thendral Nagar in Sathuvachari, had to aid her elderly parents, who had been living near the river for over three decades, shift out due to worsening pollution at a stretch of the river that residents dub a dumping ground for garbage. “I couldn’t risk my parents’ health. The smell is unbearable, and several residents have developed wheezing and breathing problems,” she said. In January 2025, the Supreme Court directed authorities to prevent untreated discharges from industries and municipalities and address sewage and municipal solid waste pollution in the Palar river basin. However, the culprit is the corporation vehicles; they dump heaps of garbage collected from various parts of the city into the river at midnight, allege residents. “We wake up to the stench every day. During rains, the waste and wastewater flow onto the roads as there is inadequate drainage,” Hansika said. The residents have repeatedly filed petitions to concerned authorities, with the latest one being addressed to Vellore Collectorate on May 13, 2026. What adds to their anger is the location of the ‘dumping site’, a stretch situated barely 500 metres from the Vellore Collectorate and the Superintendent of Police’s office. “If this cannot be stopped despite being so close to key government offices, how can the river be restored?” asked a resident.