TIRUNELVELI: Two trucks transporting fish waste from Kerala to a private export firm in Thoothukudi created a flutter in Puliarai check post on Sunday after officials mistook the consignment for poultry feed.
A team at the Puliarai check post stopped two vehicles from Kerala on suspicion that they were ferrying poultry feed and refused to allow them into Tamil Nadu. A thorough check revealed that the loads were fish waste bound for a private company in Thoothukudi for export.
Officials at the check post instructed the truck drivers to return to Kerala after they found the fish waste in a decomposed state. However, the drivers abandoned the trucks on the way within Tamil Nadu border and reportedly fled the spot.
Foul smell that started emanating from the vehicles brought a police team to the spot. After inspecting the trucks, cops found out that the consignment was worm-ridden fish waste. The vehicle was then taken to Ariyankavu and parked inside Kerala limits.
“The officials initially mistook the waste as poultry feed. However, we verified the details and found that the trucks were only transporting fish waste,” said S Gengaraj, Joint Director of the Animal Husbandry Department.
Inspector Muneeswaran said that the trucks were coming with loads of fish waste from Duraiyur near Alappuzha in Kerala.
Gengaraj said the recipient firm was involved in separating bones from decomposed fish and exporting them.
Following the recent outbreak of bird flu in Kerala and the follow-up action by the Tamil Nadu government to ban cross-border movement of poultry and animal feeds, the Animal Husbandry Department have been conducting inspections of vehicles from the neighbouring state.
They have been and spraying disinfectants on tyres, before sending them back to Kerala.