THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Some private agencies contracted to take the waste handed over by some hospitals in Kerala are dumping it in various villages in Tamil Nadu. The incident became controversial when papers from some government and private hospitals in Kerala were found in the hospital waste dumped in Nadukallur and Palavoor in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. There is a protest against this in Tamil Nadu.

Apart from biomedical waste, some hospitals hand over paper, plastic covers, cloths, food waste etc. to private agencies. However, biomedical wastes have also been found along with these. It is reported that there has been a serious lapse from the housekeeping departments of the hospitals due to the mixing of these wastes. Among the garbage found in Tamil Nadu are biomedical waste, plastic syringes and trip sets.

Biomedical waste is collected and processed in Kerala by IMAGE, a Palakkad-based organization under the Indian Medical Association. IMAGE's vehicles collect all surgical waste including syringes, gloves, cotton, and lab waste from hospitals and bring them to Palakkad for scientific processing. General wastes other than these are found and handed over by hospitals to various private agencies. It is alleged that the mixing of medical wastes in this general waste is a serious lapse.

Intervention of National Green Tribunal

The National Green Tribunal intervened in the complaint that Kerala was dumping hospital waste in Tamil Nadu. The Chennai bench ordered the Kerala Pollution Control Board officials to appear in person.

"The government should conduct a thorough investigation and stop this wrong trend

- Dr. Abraham Varghese

Chairman of 'IMAGE'