CHENNAI: Indiscriminate dumping of bio-medical waste continues to be rampant in the city suburbs. This time, it is at Kundrathur, where medical waste is near the garbage dumpyard. Local residents who spotted this said it had been lying uncollected on Outer Ring Road service lane for three days. ‘’As the waste remained untouched even during rain, the service lane turned into a bad shape,’’ said Pughalventhan V of Kundrathur, an activist against open dumping of bio-medical waste.
Pictures with Express show that a tablet used to correct menstrual disorders and an injection used in hormone replacement therapy and female infertility were among the many other medical waste found in the dump. The waste includes syringes, bottles and used tablet strips.‘’This road where waste is dumped is a vital link between Kundrathur and Thirumudivakkam and other areas. Even schools and colleges are present here,’’ he said.
When he brought this incident to the attention of Tamil Nadu Drug Control Department, officials inspected the spot on Thursday and said he should complain to Pollution Control Board and they alone can clear it. Following repeated complaints by the resident to TNPCB, officials inspected the spot on Saturday. When contacted by Express, TNPCB officials said strict action will be taken and the process to move the waste to treatment facility was on.
‘’It should be someone from the nearby clinics. We will nab them if this happens again,’’ said a board engineer, who was part of the inspection. As per TN Pollution Control Board’s Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, the waste should be disposed of at the nearest treatment facility within 48 hours.
TNIE had reported in November that out of 11 instances in 2019, TN Drug Control Department had registered complaints only in two cases.