Observing that there are huge gaps continued in compliance with statutory bio-medical waste management rules, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) said remedial action needs to be “planned.”
The principal bench of the NGT headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said that state pollution control boards can further reduce the gap to ensure better compliance.
The tribunal was hearing a plea seeking remedial action against non-compliance with the Bio-Medical Waste Rules, 2016, and for handling and treatment and disposal of waste generated during treatment/diagnosis/ quarantine of Covid-19 patients.
The tribunal was considering a status report by the Central Monitoring Committee of the Union ministry of environment, forests and climate change.
Noting that data submitted by 23 states and Union Territories, a bench said, “The huge gaps in compliance of statutory bio-medical waste management rules still continue and unless duly addressed, such gaps will continue to compromise the public health and environment.”
The tribunal also modified the requirements for a new common bio-medical waste treatment facility and said environmental training programmes were desirable for district magistrates.
A common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility treats biomedical waste generated from a member healthcare facility to reduce its adverse effects on human health and the environment.
The ministry had formed a committee to review the implementation of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules.
The green panel pointed out that according to rules, only a member healthcare facility with 1,000 beds could ensure disposal and treatment of bio-medical waste through a common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility, located within 75 kilometres.
(Published 27 January 2023, 05:36 IST)
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