No disposing bio-medical waste in municipal bins, says MMC
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, DEC 13
In a move which may put hospitals, nursing homes and medical institutions in a tight corner, the Margao Municipal Council on Monday issued a note asking all establishments generating bio-medical waste to stop disposing off the waste within the jurisdiction of the civic body with immediate effect.
MMC Chief Officer Prasanna Acharya told Herald that it is not the look out of the civic body how the hospitals and institutions disposes off their bio-medical waste and warned of stern action as per the law in force against establishments disposing off the waste in the municipal bins.
“The issue of how establishments generating bio-medical waste are required to dispose off the waste is the domain of other departments, including the Goa State Pollution Control Board”, he said, when queried how the civic body expects the 300-odd hospitals, nursing homes and clinics to dispose of their daily bio-medical waste.
In his note to the Indian Medical Association, Indian Dental Council, Director of Health Services and the Director of Animal Husbandry, the MMC Chief Officer called upon them to inform all concerned bio-medical waste generating units to stop disposal of the waste within the city limits.
Acharya, in his note, drew attention of the departments that the civic body is in the process of setting up of a Municipal Solid Waste Management plant on BOOT basis.
”One of the conditions stipulated in the proposed concession agreement is that the bio-medical waste generated or disposed within the limit of Margao Municipal Council shall not be accepted at our Municipal Solid Waste Management Plant at Sonsodo by the Concessioner”, he said.
Against this backdground, Acharya said it is imperative on the part of the civic body to ensure that no bio-medical waste generated by any hospital, nursing home, clinic, dispensary, veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, blood bank is disposed off with in the municipal limit of Margao Municipal Council either in the waste collection bins or anywhere else except in manner provided under bio-medical waste (management and handling) Rules, 1998 & MSW (management and handling) Rules, 2000.
Copies of the note have been sent to the Member Secretary, Goa State Pollution Control Board and the South Goa District Collector for information.
