CHENNAI: The state government has notified amendments to the Goondas Act to include individuals involved in the illegal dumping or unscientific handling of biomedical waste in Tamil Nadu. Of late, repeated instances of biomedical waste being dumped along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border had triggered public outcry.
Responding to this, Law Minister S Regupathy introduced a Bill to amend the Goondas Act, 1982, to punish those who dump biomedical waste into Tamil Nadu from the neighbouring states. The Bill was passed in the Assembly and has now been notified following the Governor’s assent.
With the notification, the amended Act empowers authorities to detain, without trial, preventing them from engaging in “dangerous activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order”. The amendment also brings economic offenders under the ambit of the Act.