Aafrin Kidwai 
Accumulation of biomedical in a hospital basement (For representational purpose only)
Thirty common facilities have been set up for the treatment and scientific disposal of Covid-19 bio-medical waste generated across the state, as per the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).
In an affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court, MPCB informed that the general waste generated at Covid treatment, isolation and quarantine facilities is being disposed of in accordance with provisions of the Municipal Solid Waste Management Rules, by burying it in deep pits at civic dumping grounds.
Contaminated bio-medical waste from these centres is being collected by common treatment facility operators for scientific disposal at separate, dedicated sites, the affidavit stated. It added that 82℅ of urban local bodies in Maharashtra have set up separate teams for the collection of contaminated Covid-19 waste, reports The Hindustan Times.
The affidavit was submitted in reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Dombivli resident who complained that though prevailing rules mandate scientific disposal of bio-medical waste, bio-medical waste generated at Covid-19 treatment centres in Kalyan was being dumped at Adharwadi dumping ground by garbage collectors.
The MPCB has maintained that no Covid-19 bio-medical waste was found dumped at Adharwadi dumping ground when its team visited the area.
The Kalyan civic body has set up a dedicated site for disposal of bio-medical waste at Umbarde, for which a mechanism has been created to monitor the collection and disposal of Covid-19 bio-medical waste generated within the limits of the municipal corporation, the affidavit added.
The HC has posted the PIL for hearing next week.
For more information on the Common Bio-medical waste incineration Facilities in Maharashtra, click here.
Picture Credit: zMFERMION, Biomedical waste, CC BY-SA 3.0
