Indian Express
18 October 2010
Pune, India

The dismal state of health institutions notwithstanding, this is something that Pune can cheer about. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), which found violation of norms in the disposal of biomedical waste by as many as 56 health institutes in the district last year, has given a clean chit to all such institutes in Pune and Pimpri–Chinchwad areas this year.

A board survey has found that around 2,000 healthcare establishments had scored nearly 100 per cent in compliance of norms. It also found that all institutes were getting their biomedical waste treated at the facilities created by the civic bodies, with some hospitals even having their own waste treatment facilities.

"This is a major change. We had issued notices to hospitals and even closed down some of them last year. But this year, none of them was found violating norms," MPCB regional officer PK Mishra said. "All bedded hospitals are complying with the norms; even clinics and dispensaries have adopted the waste disposal rules. There may be some clinics in the interiors that may not be complying, but we did not notice any violations during inspections."

The board had strengthened its monitoring mechanism for waste disposal this year. "The tracking of vehicles transporting biomedical waste from hospitals to the common facility centres with the help of geographical information system (GIS) has helped a lot. The GIS adaptors on vehicles have been connected to our office; this helps in monitoring. Our field officers have also strengthened their monitoring."

MPCB officials said around 1,800 kg of biomedical waste was generated in Pune and Pimpri–Chinchwad areas daily, which was being treated at the common treatment facilities. While Pune generates 1,000–1,200 kg biomedical waste a day, Pimpri–Chinchwad generates around 600 kg. "The biomedical waste is transported to facility centres, where it is incinerated and treated," one of them said.

PMC medical officer RR Pardeshi said, "We allow fresh registration of hospitals only if they have biomedical waste treatment facility. The implementation of Biomedical Waste Management Rules has improved."

Some hospitals have own waste disposal treatment facilities. "We have our own incinerator, where we treat the biomedical waste. The MPCB had certified the facility," Ruby Hall Clinic CEO Bomi Bhote said.

PCB resident medical officer Dr SM Mahajan said, "We segregrate waste by following a colour code for waste bins; accordingly, the waste is disposed through Posco. Each month, we pay a bill of nearly Rs 10,000 to the PMC to dispose our waste."