Tamil Nadu police arrested two individuals, Manohar (51) and Mayandi (42), from Suthamalli village in Tirunelveli district for their role in illegally dumping biomedical waste from Kerala into Tamil Nadu.
The arrests came after hazardous medical waste — including unused syringes — was discovered in Kodaganallur, Palavoor, and Kondanagaram villages. Investigations revealed that the waste originated from Kerala-based institutions like the Regional Cancer Centre and Credence Multispeciality Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. To avoid detection, the waste was hidden within domestic and food waste from establishments like the Leela Kovalam Hotel and transported across state lines.
In response, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered the Kerala government to clear the dumped waste within three days and reimburse ₹70,000 already spent on cleanup efforts. The NGT also raised concerns over Kerala’s lack of proper biomedical waste treatment facilities, highlighting delays in establishing five proposed plants due to legal disputes.
This marks the second incident of biomedical waste dumping from Kerala into Tamil Nadu in just two months, sparking outrage among political leaders and environmental activists. Tamil Nadu authorities are tightening surveillance at the border and pledging to take strict action against environmental violators to prevent future incidents.
