Private doctors and hospital practitioners in Madurai have appealed to the district administration to streamline the collection and disposal of bio-medical waste.

During the weekly public grievance meeting here on Monday, the doctors submitted a petition to District Collector Nishant Krishna, highlighting the urgent need for a permanent, common biomedical waste treatment facility in the city.

One of the petitioners, B. Sarmesh Khan, said a private waste disposal company had earlier collected hospital waste and processed it safely at its Virudhunagar unit. However, though the facility was closed around 2023, waste collection had continued.

According to RTI data from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Madurai generates approximately 4.5 tonnes of medical waste daily.

However, the TNPCB allegedly refused to answer basic questions regarding waste collection and disposal locations.

Although local TNPCB officials claimed the waste was transported 500 km away to Gummidipoondi, the company’s website stated that waste was processed in Edappadi in Salem district, with the ash sent to Gummidipoondi.

This conflicting information, coupled with recent reports of medical waste found in open areas across the district, has raised serious suspicions among doctors regarding the monitoring authorities and whether the waste was actually being disposed of safely or simply dumped, he noted.

Noting that the company charges about ₹5,000 per bed daily, doctors questioned the actual role of TNPCB being played in clearing the city’s medical waste.

They warned that leaving the issue unaddressed could lead to severe problems and the widespread spread of diseases.

Consequently, they demanded that the Tamil Nadu government establish a mechanism to monitor the entire chain of waste collection and disposal, alongside setting up government-owned waste disposal units in key districts for efficient handling.

Published - July 27, 2026 08:02 pm IST