PUDUCHERRY: The indiscriminate dumping, burial and burning of Municipal Soild Waste (MSW) as well as biomedical waste at Kurumbapet by Puducherry Municipal Services Private Limited (PMSPL) continues unabated despite Pondicherry Pollution Control Committee (PPCC) issuing directions to stop the activity.
PPCC member secretary in a letter to Commissioner of Puducherry Municipality on January 20 had issued directions to stop burning of the waste, as it was causing several environmental hazards. He warned that in case the activity continues, necessary action as deemed fit may be initiated as per the provisions of the Acts. He further said the site is yet to be notified under the Environmental Protection Act, since the mandatory NOC for the establishment of MSW project is yet to be issued. Despite the site not being authorised, the municipal waste along with biomedical waste is illegally dumped and burnt at the Kurumbapet site. On an average 34,679 TPA of Municipal waste is generated in Puducherry annually.
However, no action has been taken by the PPCC for violating the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, Biomedical Waste (Management and handling ) Rules, 1998, and Municipal solid waste (Management and handling) Rules, 2000.
Puducherry Environment Protection Association has petitioned the special secretary (Environment) and chairman (PPCC) for penalising the PMSPL, for causing environmental damage.