Chennai is said to generate more than 6,000 metric tonnes of waste every day, most of which finds its way to the Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dumpyards. The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has therefore proposed a Rs.1,026.41 crore waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration plant at Kodungaiyur. The Hindu reports that the initiative is aimed at processing 2,100 tonnes of municipal solid waste on a daily basis, which will generate 31 megawatts of power while reducing the landfill burden. Though the project is presented as a modern solution to Chennai’s mounting waste problem, it has raised staunch opposition from North Chennai residents, environmentalists, and political leaders. Concerns include potential health risks from toxic emissions, environmental degradation, and the exacerbation of existing pollution in an area already burdened by industrial activities. Further, the lack of a robust waste segregation mechanism makes it likely that unsegregated waste will be incinerated; critics point out that burning such mixed waste – which often contains plastics and hazardous materials – can lead to the release of harmful pollutants with long-term health consequences. Environmental groups also highlight the ecological sensitivity of the proposed site, noting its proximity to wetlands that serve as habitats for over 50 bird species. Importantly, many residents see the proposed plant as a continuation of systemic environmental injustice, where poorer neighbourhoods are made dumping grounds for the city’s waste while more affluent areas are spared from such burdens.
On May 25, hundreds of residents formed a nearly four-kilometer-long human chain from Ezhil Nagar to Ambedkar College in Vyasarpadi to protest the project.
However, the GCC is maintaining its commitment to the project, emphasising adherence to environmental norms and the potential benefits of waste reduction and energy generation. Officials have organised visits to existing WTE plants, such as one in Hyderabad, to make a case for the Kodungaiyur proposal. However, many argue that the tours have overlooked the adverse impacts on surrounding communities. In fact, a separate delegation from the Federation of North Chennai Residents Welfare Association reportedly made a trip of their own to areas in Hyderabad impacted by the WTE plant. The findings are alarming – the group reports that on account of the WTE setup, local residents suffer from health issues ranging from respiratory problems and skin diseases to eye problems, elephantiasis and infertility. The Kodungaiyur WTE proposal appears to ignore community participation – there has been little to no public consultation with affected residents during the planning stages, and many fear that their grievances are being sidelined in favour of rapid project approvals.
Other waste management measures are already underway at Kodungaiyur. In February 2024, The Hindu reported a GCC-approved plan to reclaim 252 acres of the 342-acre dumping ground through biomining, targeting roughly 66.52 lakh tonnes of accumulated legacy waste. The Rs. 640.83 crore project – which the corporation said is in line with the mandate from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and follows the guidelines under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 – was presented as a welfare measure for North Chennai residents. The initiative is funded by the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 and KfW Bank. As of March 2025, 10 per cent of the waste has been biomined, amounting to 6 lakh tonnes. Notably, waste segregation is a part of the biomining process. Protestors are reportedly urging the GCC to reclaim the Kodungaiyur landfill solely through the biomining project.
Other Indian cities facing similar waste management challenges have explored different solutions in place of WTE plants. Mumbai, for instance, has approved the establishment of compressed biogas plants at the Deonar dumping ground, aiming to process 1,000 tonnes of wet waste daily. These initiatives focus on decentralized waste processing and resource recovery, and help minimize environmental impact. Environmental experts are in favour of such decentralized approaches that prioritize waste segregation, composting, and recycling over large-scale incineration.
Despite the strong pushback, the GCC is reportedly going ahead with the proposed WTE plant. According to DT Next, the Corporation will appoint an independent engineer to supervise the project under a public-private partnership model, and has released a Rs. 8.53 crore tender in this regard. The hurry to implement, given the strong resistance from various quarters, is baffling. The concerns of the local community, activists and environmentalists remain unaddressed, and signal a lack of commitment to collaborative and transparent governance. Chennai can very well learn from the experiences of other cities and affected communities to take better care of its own.