THOOTHUKUDI: Officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) here on Thursday seized 260 MTS (marine transfer stations) of municipal waste imported from the UK.C Rajan, Additional Director General, DRI, Chennai, said officials had received a tip-off that municipal waste that arrived from the UK a year ago was lying uncleared at the Thoothukudi port.Following an inquiry, they traced 10 containers of the goods, of which six were stacked at Continental CFS (container freight station). The remaining were at the CWC (Continental Warehouse Corporation), CFS, Thoothukudi.“All the goods were imported in the name of a paper unit in Sivakasi, while the supplier was mentioned as CIF Papiers Cartons SAS, Paris, France,” Rajan said.A cursory check was then conducted by the DRI officials and one of the containers was opened. Since foul smell emanated from it, the issue was brought to the notice of the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Thoothukudi.After examining the wastes, the district environmental engineer, TNPCB, said that the consignment contained street sweepings, plastic carry bags, waste pet bottles, used plastic carry bags, condoms and rubber gloves and wet municipal solid waste containing worms, which could pollute environment and spread diseases. The TNPCB recommended re-exporting of the consignment to the UK.A case has been registered against the importer. The issue would be referred to the Commissioner of Customs, Thoothukudi, for action against the importer and sending the cargo back to the UK, Rajan said.
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