Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 17: Kerala has turned into a ‘nuisance neighbour’ for Karnataka. The neighbouring state is allegedly dumping hazardous biomedical waste in Kodagu, Mysuru and Chamarajanagar districts.
The illegal dumping started around two years ago. Trucks from the neighbouring state allegedly dump waste in vacant government lands or properties in dispute, late in the night.
Nanjangud MLA B Harshavardhan told Deccan Herald, the issue was first noticed in Gundlupet and Virajpet forest areas. However, the dumping has extended towards Mysuru via Nanjangud.
The MLA tells media that the vehicles carrying waste commute post mid-night and dump waste in the wee hours of morning. Just a few days back, Nanjangud police nabbed two Malappuram residents who were caught red-handed dumping waste.
According to the MLA, there is a nexus between some residents of Nanjangud, Gundlupet and the companies that are behind the illegal dumping. “Some residents identify lands which are lying vacant and inform these companies. They get paid handsomely for this information. I have been working closely with the district administration to put an end to this menace. If this goes unchecked, it could lead to outbreak of diseases,” he adds.
Meanwhile, a resident of Nanjangud regrets that the waste is set ablaze. The smoke literally chokes the town, he adds.
The waste has also increased the stray dog menace in the area. Many notice the dogs carrying blood stained biomedical waste.
According to a wildlife activist, the waste is smuggled from the Bandipur Reserve Forest area. Most of the trucks carrying garbage pose as fruit and vegetable trucks and misguide the officials at the checkpost. Some even hide waste beneath sand. Some also use Karnataka registration vehicles so that they can easily pass through check posts.
According to a WHO report, Kerala has 9,650 health care institutions that generate approximately 20,000 tonnes of biomedical waste per year. Only 20 major institutions have captive biomedical treatment facility. Kerala’s sole common biomedical waste treatment plant is in Palakkad.
The huge amount of waste generated and the lack of facility to dispose the waste could be a main reason the state has turned its neighbours into dumping grounds.
Meanwhile, the brunt is not just faced by Karnataka. Tamil Nadu suffers too. While waste generated in North Kerala is sent to Karnataka, the waste from South Kerala is dumped in Coimbatore and Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.
As many as 27 trucks carrying hazardous medical waste were seized by officials of the Regional Transport authority in Tirunelveli district in 2018.