CHENNAI: BJP state chief Nainar Nagenthran said there is no end in sight to Kerala medical waste dumping in the State, citing recent reports of disposal on HR&CE land in Tenkasi.
The TVK government is failing to prevent the dumping of Kerala’s waste in the State, he alleged.
In a statement, Nainar Nagenthran claimed that around 10 tonnes of waste from Kerala has been dumped on land belonging to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department at Kizhakadayam in Tenkasi district. He claimed that sacks found at the site bore Malayalam writings and Kerala vehicle registration details, indicating that the waste had originated from the neighbouring State.
“The government’s continued negligence in border surveillance has turned Tamil Nadu into a dumping ground for Kerala’s waste,” he said. He alleged that the dumped material included plastic waste, electronic waste and expired medicines, posing a threat to the Jambu Nadi, agricultural lands and groundwater in the region.
Demanding swift action, the BJP leader urged the State government to immediately transport the waste back to Kerala and initiate stringent legal action, including invoking the Goondas Act, against those responsible for the illegal dumping. He also accused the government of failing to protect temple properties and effectively monitor the State’s borders.
In a separate statement, he urged the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led government to revive the long-pending Uppur thermal power project to strengthen the State’s power infrastructure.
Revival of the 1,600 MW Uppur thermal power project in Ramanathapuram district, inaugurated in 2016 during the AIADMK government led by late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa but shelved in 2021 following environmental concerns, litigation and delays in land acquisition, is crucial, he said.
Claiming that nearly Rs 5,847 crore had already been spent on the project, he urged the government to constitute a committee comprising officials and local residents to identify the obstacles and recommend a roadmap for implementation. Reviving the project, he said, would help address Tamil Nadu’s power shortage while generating employment opportunities for engineers, skilled professionals and local youth, and urged the government to act without further delay.