TIRUNELVELI: Sivanthipatti police registered a case against unidentified individuals who dumped biomedical waste and set it on fire on the outskirts of Tirunelveli city on Sunday.
According to sources, a few tonnes of waste was dumped at a secluded location near MGR Nagar, a residential area, on April 23 and set on fire. The smoke caused inconvenience to the residents and nearby road users. Alerted by the public, the Fire and Rescue Services personnel rushed to the spot and doused the fire.
On Saturday, Sivanthipatti VAO Kaveri Udaiyar inspected the spot and lodged a complaint with the police, based on which a case was booked under Sections of BNS and Environment (Protection) Act.
Contacted by TNIE on Monday, D M Krishnababu, District Environmental Engineer (DEO), said he would visit the spot and identify the type of waste that was burnt.
It may be recalled that in 2023, biomedical waste from Kerala was dumped in villages near Tirunelveli. After legal action against the transporters and National Green Tribunal's order to ship the waste back to Kerala, this is the first major such incident reported in the district. However, the origin of the waste is yet to be confirmed.