CHENNAI: Residents of Chennai and its vicinities continue to find biomedical waste dumped at random locations. This time it was dumped in Veppambattu, adjacent to the Anantapur-Chennai highway. On Sunday, activist Pugalventhan Venkatesan discovered used syringes, cotton swabs and other medical waste on the stretch.
“I do a check during weekends and somehow find biomedical waste in one place or the other. This is a perennial problem that needs to be addressed immediately,” said Pugalventhan. Following a complaint, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) workers cleared it by Monday evening.
“There is a CCTV camera on the highway. Officials could find out who dumped it and penalise them. Otherwise, they will keep finding new places to dump the medical waste,” said R Suresh, a local resident.
“Biomedical waste poses an immediate risk to those living in the area. It releases harmful substances into the air, land, and water. Many of these substances hundreds or even thousands of years to break down,” said a retired official from TNPCB.
When asked about a permanent solution, TNPCB officials said they are cracking down on hospitals that do not have biomedical waste disposal authorisation. Complaints have been received from residents in areas like Tiruneermalai, Anankaputhur, Kundrathur and Vandalur about dumping of waste in open grounds and also waterbodies.
Many complaints
Complaints have been received from residents in areas like Tiruneermalai, Kundrathur and Vandalur about dumping of waste in open grounds and also waterbodies