A proposal by TVK MLA Navalpattu Viji to dump garbage from the Ariyamangalam dump yard into a 1,200-foot-deep rocky pit has drawn criticism and raised environmental concerns, after the legislator claimed the waste would not affect groundwater or cause environmental harm.
Speaking to the press, Navalpattu Viji criticised decades of political inaction over the long-standing garbage crisis at the Ariyamangalam dump yard in Tiruchirappalli, while also drawing attention for proposing the dumping of waste into a deep rocky pit as a “solution” to the problem.
Viji stated that the Ariyamangalam garbage yard had been causing severe health hazards to residents for nearly 50 years and alleged that successive governments had failed to resolve the issue due to corruption and political selfishness.
The TVK MLA said, “For almost 50 years now, this Ariamangalam garbage yard has been causing serious health hazards to the people. This garbage dump and its problems did not start yesterday; it is a 50‑year‑old issue. Over these five decades, because of the selfishness of politicians, the problem has not been resolved and time has just been allowed to pass. Due to successive corrupt governments, no matter who came to power, this issue kept getting pushed down the line. Right now, they say around 7 lakh metric tonnes of garbage have accumulated here. As for the so‑called solution, about 850 tonnes of waste come here every day from the corporation, while their processing capacity is only 1,000 tonnes per day. So the remaining waste just stays as it is. They have given a contract worth 40 crore rupees with a two‑year agreement. Under that contract, they are supposed to process this waste, separate the plastic and soil, and completely remove it from the site. But even after awarding this contract, there has been no major improvement.”
He continued, “Earlier, 45 crore rupees were allocated and nothing happened. After that, another 25 crore was sanctioned, that also did not lead to results. Again and again, funds are allocated, but where is this money going? Who is taking this money away, out of public sight? Near Valithangal Thogu Kudi, there is a rocky pit almost 1,200 feet deep, about 200–300 feet depth in some places, where the garbage can be dumped. If we take the waste there and dump it into that deep rocky pit, it will not cause harm to anyone. There will be far less environmental impact there than here. Environmental activists also say this strongly: in a thickly populated residential area like this, people are living under severe health risk, whereas if the same waste is dumped 1,000 feet below ground in that rocky area, it will not cause such harm. How will that waste seep through and contaminate groundwater? It will not. Because it is rock all around; the garbage cannot penetrate through the rock and affect any underground water source. So, the only real solution is to completely remove the garbage from this yard. If we shift all the garbage from this dump and dispose of it there, two things will happen: first, human lives and cattle will not be affected; second, there will be no more health hazards here and people can live safely. That will be a major solution, and there is no difference of opinion about this.”
He added, “I have spoken to the Corporation Commissioner and to our District Collector regarding this issue. Without dragging this out any further or delaying it, a decision must be taken immediately. This should not be allowed to be pushed on and on; a prompt and immediate solution will definitely be implemented.”
”ரூ.40 கோடி செலவு பண்ணி குப்பையை எடுக்க டெண்டர் விட தேவையில்ல.. வெறும் 30 கோடி செலவு பண்ணா நிரந்தர தீர்வே கிடைச்சிரும்”.. அரியமங்கலம் குப்பை கிடங்கால் ஏற்படும் பிரச்சனையை தடுக்க அதிகாரிகளுக்கு ஐடியா கொடுத்த திருவெறும்பூர் த.வெ.க எம்.எல்.ஏ நவல்பட்டு விஜி.!#Tiruchirappalli |… pic.twitter.com/HQ1nIGXXiO
— Polimer News (@polimernews) May 26, 2026
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