Residents of Gomangalam near Pollachi intercepted a vehicle dumping fish waste water from Kerala on the national highway, leading to a public protest and detention of the vehicle.
Coimbatore: In a dramatic turn of events, residents of Gomangalam near Pollachi staged a protest after intercepting a vehicle that was dumping fish waste water from Kerala on the national highway. The incident has raised concerns about illegal waste disposal and environmental hazards in the region.
The vehicle, bearing registration number TN75 AJ1785 and owned by Stephen from Nagercoil, was reportedly transporting fish waste from Kozhikode to a private fish oil and poultry feed manufacturing company called MPN in Thoothukudi. However, the journey took an unexpected turn when the vehicle began releasing foul-smelling fish waste water on the national highway near Gomangalam Puthur in Pollachi.
Alert locals quickly noticed the environmental violation and took immediate action. They stopped the vehicle and alerted the authorities, eventually handing it over to the Gomangalam police station. The swift response from the public highlights the growing awareness and concern for environmental issues in the community.
Local residents expressed their frustration with the recurring problem of waste dumping from Kerala. They pointed out that due to strict regulations and severe penalties for dumping chicken meat, medical waste, and fish waste within Kerala, some unscrupulous elements have resorted to disposing of these materials in border areas of Tamil Nadu.
The protesters demanded immediate action from the authorities to prevent such incidents in the future. They called for a complete ban on these activities and urged officials to confiscate vehicles involved in illegal waste dumping. The incident has sparked a debate on the need for better inter-state cooperation and stricter enforcement of environmental laws to protect border areas from becoming dumping grounds.
As the news of the protest spread, local environmental activists and civic bodies have begun to take notice. They are now calling for a comprehensive strategy to address the issue of cross-border waste disposal and to protect the ecological balance of the region.