Ananthapuram: In a development that has sparked serious concerns over public health and environmental safety, social activist A.G. Anil Kumar has alleged that a Government General Hospital tractor was caught transporting and dumping biomedical waste at the Ananthapuram Municipal Corporation (AMC) dump yard, in violation of prescribed biomedical waste disposal procedures.
According to Anil Kumar, the tractor was followed from the Government General Hospital all the way to the municipal dump yard after he became suspicious of its movement. The entire journey was reportedly documented through videos and photographs. Upon reaching the dump yard, the tractor allegedly unloaded biomedical waste directly into the general garbage dump.
The waste reportedly included used syringes, IV bottles, surgical consumables, urine sample collection containers, medical tubing, plastic medical disposables and other hospital waste. Videos recorded at the site show the biomedical waste lying in the open alongside municipal garbage, with cows, stray dogs and rag pickers moving dangerously close to the discarded material.
The visuals have raised alarming questions about the handling of hazardous medical waste in Ananthapuram. Biomedical waste is required to be collected, transported and scientifically disposed of through authorised treatment facilities to prevent the spread of infections and protect public health.
Describing the incident as a “grave threat to human life,” Anil Kumar blamed both the Ananthapuram Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (PCB) for what he termed a complete failure of oversight.
“This is not an isolated incident. Complaints regarding improper biomedical waste disposal have been raised repeatedly, but no meaningful action has been taken. Today we have documented evidence showing exactly how this waste is reaching the municipal dump yard,” he said.
Anil Kumar demanded the immediate suspension of all officials found responsible for the alleged violation and called for a high-level, independent inquiry into the entire biomedical waste disposal chain—from its generation at the hospital to its final destination.
He also urged the district administration to examine CCTV footage, vehicle movement records and disposal registers to determine whether this was an isolated lapse or a recurring practice. “Those responsible cannot be allowed to endanger the lives of sanitation workers, rag pickers, residents and innocent animals. Accountability must be fixed without delay,” he said.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the long-pending environmental and waste management issues surrounding the Ananthapuram dump yard. Citizens are now demanding swift intervention by the district administration, health authorities and the Pollution Control Board to ensure strict compliance with biomedical waste management rules.
Officials from the Government General Hospital, the Ananthapuram Municipal Corporation and the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board are yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
Disclaimer: This report is based on allegations made by social activist A.G. Anil Kumar and the material shared by him. The claims have not been independently verified, and the concerned authorities have not yet issued an official response.
