The Vellore Corporation began removing decades of dumped waste from the Palar river on Wednesday. The operation aims to restore the riverbed's flow during monsoon and prevent flooding in nearby residential areas. R. Lakshman, Commissioner, and Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi inspected the initial biomining efforts.

The project involves extracting 80 tonnes of waste from the river and 45 tonnes from an adjacent landfill. Non-biodegradable waste like PET bottles will be sent to cement factories in Ariyalur, while biodegradable material will be converted to organic manure for farmers. The ₹11.50 crore initiative is expected to complete by mid-2027.

Current waste management relies on 50 micro-compost centres handling 240 tonnes daily. Two dumpyards—one at Saduperi lake and another along the river—store 80 and 45 tonnes of waste respectively. The civic body serves 800,000 residents across 60 wards.

Officials emphasize the project's dual role in flood mitigation and groundwater protection. The restored river course will improve drainage capacity ahead of the monsoon season.