Despite alerts, Kerala's waste continues to threaten Karnataka environment

Bengaluru: More than five years after it was first flagged, trucks from Kerala carrying tonnes of solid waste, including toxic materials, continue to enter Karnataka illegally, prompting the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to write to its counterpart in the neighbouring state.

The garbage brought from the neighbouring state includes animal waste, biomedical waste and plastic.

Activists and officials alike have flagged the dumping of the waste in Karnataka. The issue hit the headlines in January 2019 when the officials of the Mysuru City Corporation seized trucks that were found to be dumping waste on the outskirts of the city. Ever since, such trucks have been seized based on tip-offs.

On Monday, six trucks carrying tonnes of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials from Kerala were seized near the Mulehole checkpost in Gundlupet.

Based on a complaint by the KSPCB regional environment officer Umashankar P K for Chamarajanagar, the Gundlupet police registered an FIR against seven persons, including the drivers of the six trucks.

“On a tip-off, the complainant found six trucks carrying plastic waste to Karnataka without any documents and permits,” the FIR said, adding that the lorries have been seized.

KSPCB member secretary H C Balachandra said the board has viewed the cross-border dumping of waste seriously and raised the issue with the pollution control board (PCB) in Kerala.

‘”The dumping of solid waste in the border areas is illegal. Even for transportation for processing has to be done as per the law. We have written to the local authorities as well as the Kerala PCB. Despite these efforts, we are seeing violations,” he said.

A senior official in Chamarajanagar said it has become a serious issue for KSPCB and forest officers.

The Board had earlier written to the deputy commissioners in Mysuru and Chamarajanagar which share the border with Kerala’s Wayanad region.

The directors in BRT and Bandipur tiger reserves were also alerted on the matter.

“The trucks enter from Wayanad without any checks. There is a need for joint patrolling at the Mulehole (Chamarajanagar) and Bavali (Mysuru district) checkposts. Those on the Karnataka side should be provided with additional officers to check the menace of garbage-carrying trucks,” said activist Sadanand H Math, who has taken up the matter with the Central Pollution Control Board.

Math noted that waste dumping not only pollutes the environment, but poses a threat to wildlife in the protected areas of Bandipur-Nagarahole and BRT tiger reserves.

Bandipur Tiger Reserve Director S Prabakaran said the staff at the checkpost mainly look for forest law violations.

“Dumping of any waste inside the reserve has not taken place recently. In the case of the six trucks seized by KSPCB, our staff had enquired into the matter. They were shown the bills and told that the waste was being carried for processing and incineration,” he said.

BRT tiger reserve director Sripathi B S said he will look into the matter.