DHARMAPURI: Farmers are distressed as unidentified miscreants continue to dump medical waste in farmlands and waterways along the roadside and urged the administration to intervene.
In Dharmapuri, most people rely on agriculture as the prime source of livelihood. Over the past few months, there have been many incidents of bags of medical waste being dumped in farmlands and waterways on the roadside. Farmers have urged the administration to take steps to ensure medical wastes are not dumped in cultivated areas. Meanwhile, health department officials assured to look into the matter.
Speaking to TNIE, K Chinnasamy from Bannikulam panchayat said, "It was about a month ago when I spotted a red bag marked as biomedical waste dumped in the canals which feed water to the Thenpennai. I took the bags out of the canal. The panchayat sanitary worker refused to take the biomedical waste away. I was told not to burn it as the chemicals could be toxic. Many other fields are also affected. We urge the administration to intervene."
Another farmer from Somannahalli said, "There are many instances of medical wastes being dumped in farmlands. I have found bloody bandages, used syringe needles and medical vials dumped in my land. Eventually, as there was no provision to dispose it off safely, I burned it. Dumping medical waste is a recipe for disaster as children play in farmlands and the elderly walk along fields daily. We urge the administration to look into it. "
When TNIE spoke to officials in the health department, they said, "A private contractor from Salem is responsible for collecting medical waste in the district. We have not received any complaints, but we will look into the issue".
Police said they have not received any complaints from farmers as well.