CHENNAI: The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal has directed various government bodies of Tamil Nadu to file a report on action taken over the violation of biomedical waste disposal norms.
Taking cognisance of a report in The New Indian Express titled Biomedical waste dumped near Chennai's Thiruneermalai Lake not removed even after a week, the NGT questioned the government bodies on why no action has been taken despite repeated instances of open dumping and directed them to file a report by March 23.
In the report on January 23, Express had highlighted that Tiruneermalai lake is a rich water resource for the local farmers and due to industrial pollution and the recent bio-medical waste pollution, the water quality was getting degraded. This had affected the local people living there.
Despite complaints to the Chief Minister’s cell by the local residents, no action has been taken.
Justice K Ramakrishnan, Judicial Member, and Saibal Dasgupta, Expert Member, in their order on February 5, said this is not the first incident of such a nature being brought to the notice of the tribunal through newspaper reports.
“They (authorities) are rushing to the place and removing the same, entrusting the same to the common waste disposal facility and we have heavily come down on the committee and the regulators as to why further action has not been taken to trace out those miscreants,” the NGT said.
They directed a committee comprising of Chengalpet District Collector, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Superintendent Engineer of Public Works Department and Water Resources Organisation of the area and the Executive Officer of Thiruneermalai Panchayat to look into the issue and submit an report on action taken by March 23.