Residents of Vendipalayam and nearby localities in Ward 60 have alleged that groundwater has turned yellow due to leachate from the Erode Corporation’s municipal solid waste dump yard and urged the civic body to take necessary action.

Residents said the dump yard has been functioning for more than six decades amid residential neighbourhoods despite repeated demands for its relocation. They alleged that despite waste segregation being carried out at the site, large quantities of unsegregated waste continued to accumulate, resulting in foul odour and environmental pollution.

The Corporation generates about 250 tonnes of municipal solid waste every day. While biodegradable waste is processed at 25 micro-composting centres and recyclable materials are recovered, around 100 tonnes of dry waste is transported daily to the Vendipalayam dump yard.

The Corporation completed bio-mining of about 4.45 lakh cubic metres of legacy waste at the site in 2021. However, dry waste has continued to be dumped there since then, and the accumulated waste is estimated to have exceeded two lakh tonnes, though officials said precise data were not available.

Residents alleged that leachate from the accumulated waste had seeped into the ground, contaminating groundwater in the surrounding areas. They claimed that borewell water in parts of Vendipalayam had turned yellow and emitted a foul smell, making it unfit for domestic use.

“The foul odour spreads across a large area, and now even groundwater has become unusable. The Corporation should assess the quality of the water and take corrective measures without delay,” a resident said.

Demand to shift dump yard

Residents also sought a scientific assessment of groundwater quality and reiterated their demand for shifting the dump yard, citing environmental pollution and public health concerns.

However, some residents attributed the discolouration of groundwater to untreated effluents discharged by textile processing units in the area. They pointed out that the Kalingarayan Canal passes through Vendipalayam and the Cauvery flows nearby, and alleged that industrial pollution had further affected water quality.

A senior Corporation health department official told The Hindu that the civic body was implementing a zero-dumping policy, which is expected to be achieved over the next two years. A detailed project report is being prepared for establishing a Bio-CNG plant at the site to convert biodegradable waste into energy. “Once the project is commissioned, there will be no fresh dumping at the yard and the accumulated waste will also be bio-mined,” the official said. Sources said water samples collected periodically from various locations had not revealed any contamination.

Published - July 31, 2026 03:57 pm IST