Report filed by TNPCB on Puzhal lake pollution, Tamil Nadu, 27/10/2020
Report filed on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board in application No. 224 of 2017. The matter related to dumping of biomedical waste at Puzhal lake.
The TNPCB visited the site on February 24, 2020 and August 14, 2020 and found no biomedical wastes dumped in the area. However, garbage and other mixed solid waste were found dumped along the bunds of the lake. The Executive Engineer, PWD, Ambattur was asked to take necessary action for carrying out desilting of Puzhal lake and provide proper fencing, laying stones to protect the illegal dumping of solid waste inside the Puzhal lake and remove all the solid waste dumped along the bunds of Puzhal lake.
A meeting was convened on March 13, 2020 with the representatives of pharma industries (bulk drug and formulation units) at TNPCB office in Guindy, Chennai. All the bulk drug and formulation units were asked to comply with the following directions:
i. To apply and obtain valid consent under Water Act and Air Act
ii. To apply and obtain valid authorization for proper disposal of Bio-Medical waste under Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
iii. To have valid authorisation for proper disposal of hazardous waste under Hazardous and other Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 and also apply under category 28 (Schedule-1) for disposal of 28.4 off specification products and 28.5 dated expired products
iv. To ensure proper disposal of discarded/date expired medicines and not to dispose discarded/date expired medicines in the lake or any other water bodies or any lands
v. To have accountability of the expired medicines and to maintain proper registers of raw material received, products manufactured with proper records.