Reporter’s diary: Biomed waste in water source? Worry not, ‘it isn’t so harmful’

But a senior Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) official appears to believe the opposite.

With so many instances of biomedical waste being dumped into waterbodies in the southern and western suburbs of the city, this reporter had recently approached a senior TNPCB official to get his reaction.

The official lamented that while the media was focusing on biomedical waste dumped in waterbodies day after day, no one paid attention to the huge amount of solid waste that was also being dumped into the waterbodies. “In comparison, dumping of biomedical waste is just one per cent of the amount of solid waste that is being thrown in. Besides, biomedical waste isn’t as harmful,” the official told this reporter. He further went on to add that the Greater Chennai Corporation and other local civic bodies were far more equipped to deal with the indiscriminate dumping as they were much larger organisations. “Media doesn’t focus on Corporation officials for not taking steps regarding the issue,” he added.