Ensure guidelines in Covid-19 waste disposal, waste no time in taking action over violations: Bombay HC
MUMBAI: A bench of Bombay high court Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Madhav Jamdar on Friday said that in case of violations in bio-waste disposal rules while handling waste generated from Covid-19 facilities, authorities should waste no time in taking action against stakeholders.
Bombay high court directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to ensure that all civic bodies follow the guidelines of bio-medical waste disposal rules 2016,and the rules framed by Central pollution control board for proper treatment and disposal of such waste.
The HC disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a resident Kishor Sohoni that claimed untreated bio-medical Covid-19 waste was being dumped at the Aadharwadi ground at Kalyan.
The HC had last month after observing the seriousness of the issue raised in the PIL, sought replies from authorities. The PIL sought orders to stop “dumping’’ of alleged untreated waste.
Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Municipal commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi opposing the PIL said the allegations were not correct and that biomedical waste was collected separately and treated at a biomedical waste disposal plant and sought to dismiss the PIL.
The MPCB in its reply had said that 30 common treatment facilities have been set up across 36 districts of the state for scientific disposal of the bio-medical waste generated from Covid-19 centres, isolation wards and quarantine facilities. It also mentioned that over 80 percent of the urban local bodies had separate covid-19 waste collection teams.
The MPCB counsel Sharmila Deshmukh questioned the maintainability of the PIL when same concerns could have been raised before the National Green Tribunal. But observing that important issues were raised the HC disposed of the PIL with directions to the board to ensure compliance of rules and swift action when needed.
Bombay high court directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to ensure that all civic bodies follow the guidelines of bio-medical waste disposal rules 2016,and the rules framed by Central pollution control board for proper treatment and disposal of such waste.
The HC disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a resident Kishor Sohoni that claimed untreated bio-medical Covid-19 waste was being dumped at the Aadharwadi ground at Kalyan.
The HC had last month after observing the seriousness of the issue raised in the PIL, sought replies from authorities. The PIL sought orders to stop “dumping’’ of alleged untreated waste.
Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Municipal commissioner Vijay Suryawanshi opposing the PIL said the allegations were not correct and that biomedical waste was collected separately and treated at a biomedical waste disposal plant and sought to dismiss the PIL.
The MPCB in its reply had said that 30 common treatment facilities have been set up across 36 districts of the state for scientific disposal of the bio-medical waste generated from Covid-19 centres, isolation wards and quarantine facilities. It also mentioned that over 80 percent of the urban local bodies had separate covid-19 waste collection teams.
The MPCB counsel Sharmila Deshmukh questioned the maintainability of the PIL when same concerns could have been raised before the National Green Tribunal. But observing that important issues were raised the HC disposed of the PIL with directions to the board to ensure compliance of rules and swift action when needed.
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