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The Tamil Nadu police on Sunday, December 14, seized a truck and booked its driver who allegedly attempted to dump waste food collected from hotels and restaurants in Kerala into the Mullaperiyar river near Theni district.
According to reports, the driver has been identified as Vivek (26), a resident of Vettukadu in Gudalur. He was caught following intensive vehicle checks along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, based on an intelligence tip-off received on Saturday.
A police team from Kumily, led by Inspector Vijayapandian, kept surveillance on vehicles entering Theni district. During the checks, the mini truck was intercepted and found to be carrying around ten plastic drums filled with meat and vegetable waste.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the waste had been collected from eateries in Kerala’s Idukki district. The driver was allegedly attempting to dispose of the waste near the Periyavar Vairavan check dam, close to the Mullaperiyar river. Police also reportedly found that such dumping had been carried out multiple times in the past.
Reports suggest that Kerala has imposed stringent rules on waste disposal and solid waste management, including heavy fines and imprisonment for improper disposal, following disease outbreaks in the state.
To avoid these penalties, some hoteliers allegedly pay transporters large sums of money to dump food waste in remote locations across the border, including in Tamil Nadu’s Theni district.
The vehicle used to transport the waste was seized, and the driver was booked under relevant sections. Further investigation is underway.