Dirty Business-Chennai Corporation/Neel Metal Fanalca and ITC

Dirty Business Chennai citizens refuse garbage to a conglomerate over dumping By Sumana Narayanan In the fight to save environment, can you let go of your convenience and monetary gain? The answer is a resounding “yes” from the residents of Kalakshetra Colony in south of Chennai. The residents of the Colony recently refused to sell their garbage to a multi-business conglomerate ITC Ltd, over the allegations of the company dumping solid waste in agricultural fields near Coimbatore. Recently, ITC proposed collecting recyclable waste on a door-to-door basis and offering Rs 5 for a kilogramme (kg) of paper and Rs 2.5 for a kg of plastic. ITC has already worked on similar project in Annanagar and claims to recycle paper and plastic in its factories in Andhra Pradesh and near Coimbatore. The residents of Kalakshetra Colony, however, refuse to buy this claim. “ITC does not have a good reputation. We are aware that they have been accused of dumping solid waste in agricultural fields near Coimbatore,” asserts Shanthi Krishnan, a member of the Kalakshetra Colony Welfare Association. After the refusal of Kalakshetra Colony, ITC has now gone to Kodambakkam Colony in central Chennai to do the garbage business. It has started collecting paper and plastic since October 24. The residents of Kodambakkam have not opposed itc’s drive yet, but they are puzzled with Chennai Municipal Corporation (CMC). The CMC already has an agreement with Neel Metal Fanalca (NMF), another private organisation, for garbage collection. When asked about this, S Annadurai, Public Relations Officer of nmf clarifies, “We have asked ITC to join our effort of waste collection. They are already working on a similar project in Annanagar, paying the residents for paper and plastic.” “Both of us share the aim to reduce the city’s garbage,” Annadurai adds. The coordinator of ITC’s efforts in Annanagar, Iqbal, declines to comment on the Kalakshetra Colony refusal. He maintains that the company collects recyclables and sends those to its factories in Andhra Pradesh and near Coimbatore. “The paper is pulped and recycled, while the plastic is used in laying tar roads,” he elaborates.