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Press release

April 16, 2025

The NGT- Southern Zone, has initiated a Suo Moto case based on the joint fact-finding report which found that the 10-ton/day waste incinerator in Manali was operating illegally for more than 5 years and releasing alarming levels of hazardous heavy metals. The incinerator in Chinna Mathur, Manali was installed by MAK India Pvt Ltd and operated by the Greater Chennai Corporation. The report also found that the incinerator released 24 times higher concentrations of Cadmium, a carcinogenic heavy metal into the environment. The joint fact finding committee including members from Visai, Poovulagin Nanbargal, Kodungaiyur Thozhargal, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), Foundation for Friendly Environment and Medical Awareness (FEMA), Chennai Climate Action Group (CCAG), Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) and Madhuvanthi Rajkumar (Lawyer) also documented respiratory illness, skin ailments, foul smell, contamination of groundwater, deposition of black soot because of the incinerator.

The NGT has sought a response from the Tamil Nadu Department Of Environment Climate Change And Forests, Tamil Nadu Department Of Health And Family Welfare, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and The Greater Chennai Corporation on the issue. 

Welcoming the Suo-Moto case by the NGT, the Alliance for Incinerator Free Chennai urges the NGT to: 

  1. Constitute an independent committee to thoroughly probe into the environmental, health and regulatory violations by the 10 ton waste incinerator in Manali, Chennai. 
  2. To levy proper environmental compensation on the incinerator operator/supplier based on the Polluter Pay Principal.
  3. Probe into the “greenwashing” claims made by the technology provider and levy penalties under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 for making misleading claims.
  4. Scrutinize the status of all the 57 incinerators operated by MAK India/ other companies and the regulatory issues of these projects in Tamilnadu.

Click here to view the full joint Fact-Finding report –

Waste Incineration-Zero Pollution or Zero Truth?

Contact – 

Jenny- 9443464473; Mohan- 9841193943; Vishvaja- 9629505983



Alliance For Incinerator Free Chennai , , , , Energy, Press Releases, Uncategorized, WTE(Waste to Energy)