Incinerators lying defunct; state yet to establish waste disposal facility
Jammu, September 1
Health institutions in the state continue to violate the biomedical waste management laws as the state is yet come up with a proposal to establish a full-fledged common biomedical waste treatment facility.
Government hospitals and private clinics generate a large quantity of biomedical waste on a daily basis.
Sources said it was mandatory for all government and private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories to ensure proper disposal of biomedical waste but a majority of them, including government hospitals, did not segregate hazardous waste from general waste, thereby leading to the spread of communicable diseases.
Near the mortuary at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, bags full of biomedical waste were lying in the open.
“A private firm has established a waste management unit at Rakh Rara village in Samba district. Their vehicle comes daily in the morning and evening to collect biomedical waste. Earlier, the biomedical waste from hospitals, nursing homes and clinics was transported to Pangoli in the Pathankot area of Punjab,” said a GMCH official.
Sources said as per data, there were around 815 healthcare facilities in the Jammu province which generated 1,014 kg of waste per day, but due to lack of adequate waste treatment facility, only 349 kg of waste was being treated on a daily basis.
They said the authorisation was granted to the private waste management unit by the J&K State Pollution Control Board (JKSPCB) till April 2016.
Sources said the GMCH had installed a biomedical waste incinerator many years ago, but it could not be made functional due to lack of procedural follow-up.
“Government SMGS Hospital and Government Chest Diseases Hospital also had installed biomedical waste incinerators, but they are also lying defunct. According to the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, the installation of biomedical waste incinerators should be allowed only after approval by the SPCB,” a source claimed.
Government SMGS Hospital and Government Chest Diseases Hospital in December 2012 had approached the Regional Director, SPCB, for grant of approval and no objection certificate for replacement of the old incinerators with the new ones.
Later, it was found that without the SPCB approval, the contract for supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the 50 kg per hour capacity incinerator at SMGS Hospital and 25 kg per hour capacity incinerator at Government Chest Diseases Hospital was finalised in January 2013.
The suppliers installed the equipment in March 2013 but the incinerators could not be put to use for over two years for want of approval by the SPCB.
The hospital authorities applied for permission in July and September 2014 with the requisite documents but the incinerators of both hospitals were found defunct by the SPCB.
Regional Director, SPCB, Jammu, Showkat Chowdhary said: “Yes, a private firm has established a waste management unit at Rakh Rara village in Samba district and collects biomedical waste from the government hospitals and private clinics.” He said the private clinics and nursing homes had signed a memorandum with the waste management unit.
When asked whether the SPCB had renewed its authorisation to collect biomedical waste, the Regional Director said: “I don't have any idea about the extension being given to the private firm.”
What is mandatory
It is mandatory for all government and private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories to ensure proper disposal of biomedical waste. However, a majority of the hospitals in the city, including government hospitals, do not segregate hazardous waste from general waste, thereby leading to the spread of communicable diseases.
