Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu: Under mounting pressure from multiple quarters, including a directive from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), officials from the Kerala government arrived in Tamil Nadu on December 22 with trucks to retrieve illegally dumped medical and hazardous waste. This action comes in the wake of significant public outcry and a scathing NGT order mandating the removal of the waste within three days.
Illegal Dumping Sparks Controversy
The issue of waste dumping across the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border has long been a point of contention. Southern districts in Tamil Nadu, particularly Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, and Tenkasi, have faced environmental hazards due to the alleged disposal of biomedical, plastic, food, and slaughterhouse waste by agents from Kerala. Reports revealed that truckloads of hazardous materials were dumped into water bodies, farmlands, and forests, exacerbating health and ecological concerns.
Pics of some #KeralaWaste dumped in Kondanagaram village, Tirunelveli pic.twitter.com/4uhRKqj6us
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) December 19, 2024
The situation escalated when investigative reports highlighted the presence of biomedical waste from Kerala, including materials from the Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, being disposed of illegally in Tirunelveli’s villages. Areas such as Kodaganallur, Pazhavoor, Kondanagaram, and Sivaniyarkulam were found to be severely affected.
NGT Intervention and Police Action
Acting on these reports, the NGT’s southern bench, comprising Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayanan and expert member Satyagopal Koriapati, took suo motu cognizance of the issue. On December 19, the tribunal directed the Kerala government and the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to remove the biomedical and mixed solid waste within three days. The tribunal also instructed Kerala to submit a detailed report by December 23.
In addition to the NGT’s intervention, local authorities intensified their efforts. Two agents, identified as Manohar (51) and Mayandi (42), were arrested by the Suthamalli police for facilitating the dumping. On December 21, two more individuals—Chelladurai from Salem and Jithan George from Kerala’s State Medical Waste Management—were apprehended in connection with the illegal operations.
BJP Criticises DMK Government
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai launched a sharp attack on the DMK-led state government, accusing it of turning a blind eye to the environmental violations. He alleged that the DMK government’s inaction allowed Kerala to use Tamil Nadu as a “garbage dumping yard.” Annamalai highlighted that biomedical waste, plastic, and poultry waste were being regularly dumped, particularly in the southern districts, and demanded stricter enforcement at border check posts.
காவிரி நீர் உள்ளிட்ட தமிழகத்தின் உரிமைகளை தனது கூட்டணிக் கட்சிகள் ஆளும் மாநிலங்களுக்கு விட்டுக் கொடுத்துக் கொண்டிருக்கும் முதலமைச்சர் திரு @mkstalin அவர்கள், கேரள மாநிலத்தின் எல்லையோர மாவட்டங்களான கன்னியாகுமரி, தென்காசி மற்றும் திருநெல்வேலி மாவட்டங்களை, கேரள கம்யூனிஸ்ட் அரசின்… pic.twitter.com/egdyR3x3ue
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) December 17, 2024
He further criticised Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for failing to address the issue with his Kerala counterpart, despite opportunities during public functions and meetings. Annamalai warned that if the dumping continued, he would personally transport the waste back to Kerala in January.
Kerala’s Response and Waste Retrieval Efforts
Facing mounting pressure, officials from the Kerala government, led by Dr. Gopukumar, Public Health Officer of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, arrived in Tamil Nadu to oversee the retrieval of the waste. Excavators were deployed to load the dumped waste into trucks from affected sites, including Kodaganallur, Palavoor, Kondanagaram, Sivaniyapuram, and Elanthaikulam villages.
Videos shared by journalist Thinakaran Rajamani showed Kerala trucks being loaded with waste in Palavoor village. Rajamani’s reports on the social media platform X highlighted the extensive dumping and the subsequent cleanup efforts, drawing widespread attention to the issue.
NGT orders Kerala government @CMOKerala to remove #Kearlawaste, dumped in Tamil Nadu's Tirunelveli villages, within 3 days. "Either take #KeralaWaste back to Kerala or arrange to get them treated in any treatment facilities," it suggests.
//10. However, the learned counsel… https://t.co/AshO5uU7ua pic.twitter.com/GBxAuaNxcp
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) December 19, 2024
Recurring Problem and Future Measures
This is not the first instance of waste dumping by Kerala in Tamil Nadu. Similar incidents have been reported in Anamalai and Nanguneri in the past. Tamil Nadu’s counsel informed the NGT that despite previous violations, Kerala has been slow to address the issue, including settling outstanding dues of Rs. 69,000 for earlier waste disposal violations.
Kerala officials arrived in Tirunelveli (Nadu Kallur), Tamil Nadu with trucks to bring back #KeralaWaste to Kerala. Kerala's biomedical, plastic, food and other wastes have been illegally dumped in different villages @CMOTamilnadu @CMOKerala @xpresstn @NewIndianXpress pic.twitter.com/8Rym7yTqCp
— Thinakaran Rajamani (@thinak_) December 22, 2024
The NGT’s intervention has brought temporary relief, but activists and political leaders continue to demand long-term solutions. Environmentalists argue that strict border enforcement, real-time monitoring, and inter-state cooperation are essential to prevent future violations.
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