Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding medical waste from Kerala dumped in Tamil Nadu, 19/12/2024
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Southern Zone, Chennai) in the matter of Tribunal on its own motion SUO MOTU based on the news item in The New Indian Express, Chennai Edition dt: 17.12.2024, titled “Kerala’s Medical waste dumped in Nellai Villages” Vs The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Chennai and Others dated 19/12/2024.
Cognizance was taken in the matter Suo Motu by the southern bench of the NGT based on the newspaper report which appeared in many newspapers. The issue related to the unidentified miscreants who had dumped the biomedical, food, plastics and other wastes brought from Kerala in Kodaganallur and Palavoor villages. It was also stated that two cases were registered by Suthamalli Police. The pictures published in the newspapers showed that there are heaps of biomedical waste inside the forest area, which would pose an absolute danger not only to the animals but even to those who are living inside the forest.
Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) informed the court that they have already addressed the Chairperson, Kerala State Pollution Control Board vide letter dated December 18, 2024 to initiate necessary legal action against the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Trivandrum for the illegal transportation and dumping of the mixed solid waste/biomedical waste into the state of Tamil Nadu and initiate legal action against
M/s. The Leela Kovalam, which is a hotel for illegal transportation and also to monitor the border areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu by the Police Department and Transport Department to prevent any future illegal transportation of the waste and dumping it into Tamil Nadu. The court was also informed the Block Development Officer, Pappakudi and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board have taken steps to remove the mixed solid waste and the unused syringes through the Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility in Tirunelveli District.
Counsel appearing for Tamil Nadu submitted that the Revenue Department had asked them not to touch it, as it is a recurring incident and that it is the reponsibility of the government of Kerala, which admitted that these wastes are dumped into Tamil Nadu carried from Kerala, to remove the same and treat the same as per rules. Kerala SPCB submitted that the dumping could have been by unauthorized waste collectors from Kerala. "Whoever it may be, admittedly, the waste is being brought from Kerala and dumped into Tamil Nadu," the court pointed out.
The NGT directed the state of Kerala and the Kerala SPCB to remove the waste of all nature dumped inside Tamil Nadu within 3 days and file their action taken report. The matter would be next heard on December 23, 2024.