Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): National Green Tribunal (NGT), on Tuesday, pulled up Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) over its failure to trace hospitals that dumped biomedical waste behind RTO.
NGT has directed that the entire process, from waste generation to treatment, must be completed within 48 hours.
Waste transport vehicles must be equipped with GPS, and the Pollution Control Board must be provided with real-time monitoring capabilities.
BMC stated that following an investigation, it had cleared the waste from the site and handed it over to the authorised Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF).
Investigative agencies have been unable to identify the specific hospital, clinic, or medical institution responsible for dumping the waste at the site.
The report submitted to the NGT acknowledged the failure to identify the source, prompting the Tribunal to reprimand BMC.
NGT has directed the MP Pollution Control Board to ensure that every healthcare institution, whether bedded or non-bedded, has valid permits and holds membership with a CBWTF.
Action must be taken against institutions that fail to comply with these regulations. BMC has also been instructed to develop a system for collection and disposal of biomedical waste from households and hospitals at no cost.
Additionally, waste collection facilities must be established at garbage transfer stations. Separate leak-proof cabins for medical waste and the display of biohazard symbols will be mandatory in municipal garbage vehicles.
Garbage collection using two-wheelers will be permitted only for clinics located in narrow lanes; even then, the vehicles must be equipped with designated collection boxes and lids, and must maintain provisions for spill management, first aid, and manifest records.
Key directives
Biomedical waste must be treated within 48 hours
Waste transport vehicles must have GPS
Pollution Board to verify permits and CBWTF membership
BMC to arrange free biomedical waste collection and disposal
Waste collection facilities to be set up at transfer stations
Municipal vehicles must have separate leak-proof medical waste cabins
