On 19 December 2024, the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) instructed the Kerala government and its Pollution Control Board to clear the illegally dumped biomedical and mixed solid waste found at several locations along the border of Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district within three days. The tribunal also demanded a compliance report to be submitted by 23 December 2024.
Reports indicated that hazardous biomedical waste from Kerala is being clandestinely dumped in Tamil Nadu, often during the night, in pristine forests, water bodies, and farmlands. Previously, such incidents were reported in areas like Anamalai, Theni, and Nanguneri. Currently, waste is found in four locations: Kodaganallur, Palavoor, Kondanagaram, and Sivalarkulam, all within the Tirunelveli district.
It was revealed that the biomedical waste originated from institutions such as the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram and Credence Private Hospital, while municipal waste came from Leela Kovalam. The NGT initiated the case suo moto and notices have been issued to these entities and to the environmental and health departments of both Kerala and Tamil Nadu for their failure to prevent this illegal activity.
A bench comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member K. Satyagopal directed Kerala to either retrieve the waste or establish a formal agreement with Tamil Nadu’s Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility for proper disposal. “The waste must be removed without delay,” the bench ordered, providing a three-day deadline.
Tamil Nadu government pleader D. Shanmuganathan stated that the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) failed to comply with an earlier tribunal order from June, which required it to pay ₹69,000 to cover the cost incurred by the local body for removing waste dumped along Nanguneri’s roadsides.
Officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) confirmed that a detailed investigation is underway to assess the volume of biomedical waste dumped. Counsel Sai Sathya Jith highlighted that TNPCB’s chairperson has written to KSPCB’s chairperson demanding legal action against RCC and other offenders, along with stricter border monitoring. Two FIRs have been filed by the Suthamalli police under various sections, including Sections 271 and 272 of the IPC, Section 15 (1) of the Environment Protection Act, and Section 3 of the Tamil Nadu Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act.
KSPCB counsel V.K. Rema Smrithi acknowledged the waste originated in Kerala and assured that criminal proceedings would be initiated against the culprits. She noted that unauthorized waste collectors, operating without government recognition, were responsible for this illegal activity.
Local activists pointed out that both the police and transport departments of Kerala and Tamil Nadu bear responsibility for these incidents. They emphasized that stricter monitoring of the narrow Sengottai road, the primary interstate route in the area, and enhanced vigilance at the border check-posts could mitigate the problem.
Improper disposal of biomedical waste poses significant risks to human health and the environment, as it is highly infectious and requires strict management under Biomedical Waste Management Rules.
(With inputs from TNIE)
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