PGIMER employees caught selling Bio medical Waste
784 kg Bio Medical Waste caught, employees flew from the spot, ID cards held in hands of PPCB
PGI didnt answer over incinerator proposal queries by Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee
M4PNews|Chandigarh
Punjab Pollution Control Board caught 12 loaded trucks of BIO MEDICAL WASTE from Parch village near Chandigarh. It is more than 10 tonn of BIO MEDICAL WASTE. Maximum of BIO Medical Waste is from PGIMER. Before that Punjab Pollution Control Board officials caught PGI employees red handed while selling 784 kg Bio Medical Waste to kabadis in Naya Gaon today.The Premier Health Institute of India Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Bio Medical Waste is not treated but sold to Kabadis. Yes, you read it right.
Punjab Pollution Control Board officials did a random check at Naya Gaon dumping ground, where they found that some PGI Employees dragging Bio Medical Waste from PGI. They were about to sell the same to Kabadis. When PPCB officials try to catch employees but they flew from there and officials have been able to grab their Identity cards. Officials also did raid parch village and would check for same malice activities.
PGI failed to place incinerator
PGIMER recently called for tenders for Bio Medical Waste Incinerator for which PGIMER sent proposal to Chandigarh pollution control committee. Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee put some queries before PGIMER before placing incinerator and shockingly, PGI has been unable to answer all such necessary queries told an top official of CPCC. Hence, there is no Bio Medical Waste treatment protocols being followed in PGIMER.
Why Bio Medical Waste Management is needed
According to Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 of India “Any waste which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals or in research activities pertaining thereto or in the production or testing of biologicals. The Government of India (notification, 1998) specifies that Hospital Waste Management is a part of hospital hygiene and maintenance activities. This involves management of range of activities, which are mainly engineering functions, such as collection, transportation, operation or treatment of processing systems, and disposal of wastes. One of India’s major achievements has been to change the attitudes of the operators of health care facilities to incorporate good HCW management practices in their daily operations and to purchase on-site waste management services from the private sector. World Health Organization states that 85% of hospital wastes are actually non-hazardous, whereas 10% are infectious and 5% are non-infectious but they are included in hazardous wastes. About 15% to 35% of Hospital waste is regulated as infectious waste. This range is dependent on the total amount of waste generated.
We have sent message to PGIMER authorities on this, they have been unable to answer anything on this.