BHOPAL: A petition has been filed in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday seeking direction over disposal of Covid waste like masks, gloves etc in public places and offices. The petitioner Nagrik Upbhoka Margdharshak Manch stated that the disposal of the Covid-19 related medical waste was not being done properly in Madhya Pradesh.
In an action taken report, the state government has disclosed the nearly 10,900 kilogram Covid waste is being generated from various hospitals, quarantine centres in Madhya Pradesh. There are 304 Covid hospitals, 525 quarantine centres, and an Isolation centre in the state.
As per the report, Bhopal and Indore are contributing 70 % of the Covid-19 waste as the number of cases in these two major cities in more than others. Claiming that report was incomplete, the petition stated that the government has a record of bio-medical waste generated from treatment of Covid-19 patients and suspects generated from Covid hospitals, quarantine centres and isolation centres. However, no such record of the waste being produced from public places like markets and malls and offices is available.
High Court Advocate Bharat Yadav, who appeared on behalf of the Manch, said, “State government does not have any record about Covid waste material generated in market, haat, bazaar and offices. No disposal protocol is being followed and such laxity is leading to spread of infection in the state.”
On the instruction of National Green Tribunal (NGT), an action taken committee was constituted in Madhya Pradesh comprising deputy secretary medical education Somesh Mishra, member secretary MPPCB AA Mishra and secretary health Alka Shrivavastava. As per the report, Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) inspectors make regular visits to Covid centers to check infection related wastes disposal as per the guidelines of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
