Collector-led panel to oversee bio-medical waste management

Nagpur: The state government has decided to constitute district-level advisory committee to oversee collection and scientific disposal of bio-medical waste. The district collector will be the chairman of this committee.
The state public health department issued a notification on April 4 directing the collectors to constitute the committee. “The state-level committee has been formed to monitor whether guidelines of Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, are being implemented in a proper manner. The committee also gives advisories related to the rules. On lines of the state-level committee, the district-level advisory committee will also be formed. All the collectors should initiate necessary steps related to formation of the committee,” the notification said.

The civic bodies look after collection and disposal of bio-medical waste. There is no co-ordination between the civic bodies and other departments. With formation of the committee, proper co-ordination between the government departments is likely.

The committee will comprise representatives of all government departments related to bio-medical waste. With collector as the chairman, the district administration will have to play a major role in the matter.

The other members are deputy municipal commissioner, chief medical officer of civic bodies, district civil surgeon, district health officer of zilla parishad, region officer of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and representative of Indian Medical Association (IMA).

The committee will collect data and take review of quantum of bio-medical waste being generated in the district, followed by common treatment and disposal facility. The committee will monitor registration of private and government hospitals for bio-medical waste, implementation of Mumbai Nursing Home Registration Act, 1949, resolve problems arising for civic bodies or hospitals as well as inspections.

The committee will have to compulsorily hold a meeting once in three months and submit a report to the state-level committee once in a month.

In the city, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) had allotted bio-medical waste management to private company Superb Hygienic Disposals on PPP model for a period of 30 years, starting from 2004. The private operator has registration of 1,760 hospitals collecting around 2.5 tonnes per day bio-medical waste.

Complaints of bio-medical waste being dumped in open places and mixed with garbage are common. Last year, there were complaints from Government Medical College and Hospital about cattle eating bio-medical waste.

The NMC used to conduct surprise check and initiate action against hospitals dumping bio-medical waste in open , but has stopped for the last one year.