HC orders issue of notice to Centre, TN govts over pollution

CHENNAI: Madras High Court has ordered issue of notice to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu governments on a petition by an IT company, stating about highly polluted environment near its office at Velachery due to dumping and burning of solid waste by the municipal corporation.

A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice A K Ganguly and Justice F M Ibrahim Kallifulla also directed the corporation to ensure that no solid waste was dumped in the area.

California Software Company Limited, in its petition, submitted that a large quantity of garbage and plastics was burnt continuously during the day in the plots next to its office, where over 1,000 employees are working.

The company contended that the poisonous smoke emanating from this indiscriminate burning of plastics was causing irritation to the eyes, chocking of lungs and constant headaches to the employees.

The plots, basically marsh lands, had shrunk to 550 hectares from over 3000 hectares due to the encroachments by private parties and dumping of garbage by the municipal corporation.

The company submitted that though the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had banned dumping of garbage to protect the marsh land for its rare flora, fauna and groundwater, it still continued polluting the environment.