CHENNAI: The southern bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to levy environmental compensation on two private hospitals who had dumped medical waste in Pallavaram lake. The bench also directed TNPCB to collect the amount the board had spent on collecting and transporting the waste from the site.
The bench comprising judicial member Justice Pushpa Satyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Kolarpati was hearing a case taken up suo motu based on a newspaper report pertaining to dumping of medical waste in the lake by two hospitals, MIOT International and GEM Hospital.
The local body, Tambaram Corporation, had also sent notices to the hospitals based on which the hospitals paid a penalty of Rs 5 lakh each.
According to the news report, unknown persons had dumped around five tonnes waste along the compound wall of the lake on September 24. After being informed by the public, Tambaram Corporation and TNPCB officials inspected the site.