CHENNAI: There have been at least three instances of illegal dumping of biomedical waste over the past one week off the highways near Chembarambakkam lake, a social activist has revealed.
Pugalventhan Venkatesan, who has been documenting such dumping in the city’s suburbs for more than a year, said the latest site was in Meppur village, Poonamallee, where he found syringes and needles amid bushes.
Venkatesan found two more sites earlier in the week at Mevalurkuppam on state highway 50B, which branches off from NH48, and Thirumazhisai on the highway.
“In one case we found bills which had the name of a famous hospital. Blue sacks, cotton gloves and other medical waste were also found. I have raised a complaint with the public grievances cell of the central government,” Pugalventhan said.
Such biomedical waste, which falls under the category of hazardous waste, must be disposed of by hospitals and clinics only through agencies identified by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
In Chennai and its neighbouring districts, there are two such facilities, which can handle up to 6.5 tonnes of biomedical waste a day. The waste is collected daily from hospitals in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and Villupuram districts and disposed of using autoclave and incineration.
A senior TNPCB official said the board had received some complaints and, in one case, only municipal solid waste was found at the site during an inspection.
However, sources admitted that expired medicines, syringes and other such waste are being dumped along highways outside the city, but added that local bodies must help ensure enforcement.
“It is impossible for the TNPCB to police the area day and night. The agency checks with hospitals if they are complying with waste disposal rules,” a source said.
TNPCB has advised local bodies and town or village panchayats to install CCTV cameras in such areas to ensure that those found dumping the waste can be identified and penalised.