Officials of Madurai Corporation seized a vehicle bearing Kerala registration for allegedly dumping medical waste at the corporation compost yard at Vellakal on Wednesday. it was later handed over to Avaniyapuram police.
S Sekar, Assistant Engineer of Madurai Corporation, said that they stopped a Kerala vehicle carrying plastic and medical waste that attempted to enter the compost yard at Vellakal.
“When we enquired, the vehicle driver Sunil (35) of Kollam, initially told us that he had brought plastic waste from Kerala for sales. When we pressed him further, Sunil gave contradicting statements,” said Sekar.
When the corporation workers checked the vehicle, they found that it was loaded with plastics and medical wastes.
After inspecting the vehicle, Avaniyapuram police inspector Uma Sankar filed a case against the driver Sunil and collected `1,000 as fine from him. Later, the inspector set him free with a strict warning.
While it was for the first time that a Kerala vehicle was found with medical waste in the Corporation composed yard in Madurai, it was a regular practice along Tamil Nadu-Kerala border in Theni district.
K P Muthiah, a farmer from Cumbum area, said vehicles from Kerala have been dumping medical waste in the forest and farmland during the night hours.
Medical wastes collected from Idukki district were dumped in Tamil Nadu border areas of Cumbum Mettu in Theni district. Another group dumped waste near Bodi Mettu, another entry route to Tamil Nadu from Kerala.
Anbu, another farmer from Cumbum, alleged that the police deployed at the check posts collected bribe and allowed the vehicles that bring medical waste into Tamil Nadu.