Sun Nov 30 14:01:36 UTC 2025: Summary:
Durai Vaiko, Tiruchi Member of Parliament, announced that Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu has assured him that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) will deny the consent to establish (CTE) for a proposed common biomedical waste treatment plant in Pisanathur, near Gandharvakottai in Pudukottai district. This decision follows a month-long protest by villagers concerned about potential air and water pollution from the plant. The plant, intended to serve eight districts, was planned for a densely populated agricultural area, raising fears about environmental impact from waste incineration. Vaiko highlighted the potential for equipment failures and maintenance shortcomings to cause pollution despite planned safety measures. He advocated for an alternative site in a less populated area. The assurance is considered a victory for the protesters, who feared environmental and health consequences.
News Article:
Biomedical Waste Plant Blocked in Pisanathur Following Villagers’ Protests
Tiruchi, November 30, 2025 – A proposed common biomedical waste treatment plant in Pisanathur, near Gandharvakottai, Pudukottai district, will not receive the necessary consent to establish (CTE) from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB), according to Tiruchi Member of Parliament Durai Vaiko. The announcement comes after Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu assured Vaiko that the permit would be denied following a month-long sit-in protest by local villagers.
The villagers expressed concerns that the plant, intended to process biomedical waste from eight districts, would cause significant air and water pollution due to its location in a densely populated agricultural area. They feared the impact of waste incineration on the environment within a 30-kilometer radius.
“The proposed facility was planned with the good objective of safely disposing medical waste. However, it was unfortunate that it was planned to be located in a thickly populated place surrounded by agricultural fields and water sources” stated Durai Vaiko. “Though it was assured that an effluent treatment plant and continuous emission monitoring system would be established, shortcomings in maintenance or equipment failures could still cause pollution and affect the people’s health.”
Vaiko met with Minister Thennarasu, conveying the villagers’ apprehension. Thennarasu acknowledged the necessity of both a CTE and a consent to operate (CTO) from the TNPCB for the plant. He assured Vaiko that the CTE would be denied, effectively halting the project at the proposed site.
“I consider this a great victory for the unity and moral struggle of the protesters. I hope the plant will not be set up at the proposed site,” the MP said.
The decision has been hailed as a victory by the protesting villagers, who had raised concerns about potential health and environmental hazards. Authorities are now expected to consider alternative locations for the facility.
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