Sat Apr 05 18:39:29 UTC 2025: ## Chennai’s 10-Tonne Incinerator Shuts Down Amid Permit Issues
**Chennai, April 6, 2025** – The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has temporarily shut down a 10-tonne incinerator plant in Chinna Mathur following a report revealing it had been operating without the necessary permits for five years. The plant, established in 2019 at a cost of ₹70 lakhs, last obtained its annual Consent to Operate (CTO) certificate from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) in March 2020.
A joint fact-finding report by several NGOs and experts, titled “Waste Incineration – Zero Pollution or Zero Truth?”, highlighted the lack of a renewed CTO and alleged improper disposal of fly ash. The report criticized the dumping of fly ash near the plant, instead of using it to produce paver blocks as intended. Zonal officials stated that this was only done when transportation issues arose, with the majority of the ash utilized for block production at a larger incinerator.
The GCC stated that a review meeting resulted in a decision to apply for CTO renewal with both the TNPCB and the Central Pollution Control Board. A senior GCC official indicated that the plant’s operations are expected to remain suspended until well after 2026. In the interim, waste will be processed at a larger, permitted incinerator in Kodungaiyur. The official attributed the permit lapse to frequent changes in administrative staff and the plant’s small scale. The plant processes approximately 10 tonnes of fabric waste daily, producing 300 kg of fly ash.
First Piper 