The contractor engaged by the Mormugao municipality to collect and dispose medical waste from the Mormugao Municipal Corporation jurisdiction has been dumping hazardous medical waste in a pit in the garbage dumping site at Headland Sada.
This is taking place right under the nose of municipal officers and in clear violation of Section 6 & 25 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, which binds all those who deal with the generation/handling/treatment/disposal of bio-medical waste.
The matter came to light after MMC officials who came to inspect the damage to the retaining wall of the waste pit noticed that one of the municipal vehicles carrying hazardous bio-medical and other waste including syringes was attempting to dump it at the dumping site without following proper norms.
“I was surprised to see that syringes and other medical waste have been dumped in a pit at the garbage site. This is a really serious issue and thus I have instructed my officer to conduct an inquiry as to why the contractor was dumping mixed medical waste without the consent of MMC,” said Municipal Engineer, Vishnu Naik.
As per the rules and guidelines laid down by Section 6 & 25 of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, such waste needs to be handled properly and these rules are being flouted on a consistent basis here. Bio-medical waste, if not handled in a proper way, can be a potent source of diseases like AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis and other bacterial ailments causing serious threat to human health and hence requires safe and proper disposal.
