Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Suchitwa Mission, a technical advisory body for local self-government institutions in waste management, has blacklisted Sunage Ecosystems Pvt Ltd for three years following a controversy over biomedical waste dumping in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli. The agency has also been removed from the Mission's empanelment.

The action came after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) took suo motu cognizance of the illegal dumping of biomedical, food, plastic, and other waste in Kodaganallur and Palavoor villages, sharply criticising the Kerala government and its State Pollution Control Board. The waste included those transported from the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) in Thiruvananthapuram, and a private hotel, The Leela Kovalam. 

The Suchitwa Mission, in an order on Friday, also clarified that Sunage Ecosystems was tasked with waste disposal and held the agency responsible for the incident. A notice was issued demanding an explanation within three days, which the agency failed to provide. Consequently, its empanelment was terminated.

The Mission further stated that the agency violated multiple regulations, including the Environment Protection Act of 1986 and the Solid Waste Management, Plastic Waste Management, and Biomedical Waste Management Rules of 2016. Additionally, the agency has been directed to bear the full cost incurred by the state government due to its "illegal activities."