Leading biotech company Biocon Ltd. has been booked for allegedly dumping hazardous chemical waste at the dumping yard managed by Terra Farm in Doddabelavangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru on Monday.
The police said that truck drivers claimed that they were carrying the load from Biocon premises to Terra Farm dump yard.
Samples of the waste had been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis, a police officer said.
So far, four FIRs have been registered against Biocon, Terra Farm and owners of the trucks for dumping hazardous chemical waste . The villagers complained of pungent smell in the area and of diseases affected the people, especially children and the aged.
The police said that preliminary inquiries revealed that Biocon is disposing hazardous waste as per the prescribed standard, but the stench is unbearable.
“They could at least have done something to stop the stink emanating from the waste, which is affecting the health of the people living nearby,” a senior police officer said.
The police are awaiting lab reports based on which action would be taken.
Meanwhile, Biocon clarified that trucks were carrying bio-waste of inert cell mass, which is nutrient rich, highly bio-degradable, non-toxic, non-hazardous, non-chemical waste. However, it has a pungent smell.
The company is sending this to Terra Farm for further treatment and disposal as per PCB norms, the company said. “The company is also looking at developing a more advanced system of disposing this inert cell mass keeping in mind the smell associated with this. However, till such time it will have to use Terra Farm’s services. The company has already assured the KSPCB on these lines,” Biocon said.
