हिंदी
SHIMLA JUNE 5, 2021:
Chairman State Pollution Control Board K.K. Pant said here today that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India had framed new regulations during 2016 for management of Biomedical Waste with an objective to improve the collection, segregation, processing, treatment and disposal of waste in an environmentally sound manner thereby reducing the biomedical waste generation and its impact on health and environment. He said that new regulation have brought all the Allopathic, Ayurvedic, Veterinary Institutions, Pathological Laboratories, Blood Banks etc. under its ambit. Under these new Rules, about 8990 Health Care Institutions are being regulated by the State Board and approximately 3.5 MT per day of Biomedical Waste is being generated by these institutions which is being disposed through the Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs) established at Solan, Kangra and Una and captive disposal facilities at institutions level, he added.
He said that Covid-19 pandemic situation has also posed a serious challenge for handling and disposal of Covid-19 biomedical waste in the State as well. To ensure safe disposal of biomedical waste including Covid-19 waste, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has brought out dedicated guidelines for handling, treatment and disposal of waste generated during treatment, diagnostics and quarantine of Covid-19 patients. He said that generation and disposal status of Covid-19 waste is being reported on national tracking portal on daily basis by the State Board and since April 2020 approximately 538 MT of Covid-19 waste have been disposed off through CBWTFs and captive facilities in the State.
The State has witnessed maximum generation of Covid-19 waste 105 MT during the month of May 2021. At present nearly 4.74 MT of bio-medical waste is being generated per day and the three CBWTFs have incineration capacity of 6.4 MT per day indicating availability of adequate infrastructure for treatment and disposal of biomedical waste including Covid-19 waste in the State. Further to strengthen the regulation of Waste Management for Biomedical waste, hazardous waste and e-waste the State Board is in the process to develop an online web/mobile application “Waste MIS” through the Department of IT, which will have online manifest system to check the pilferage of waste and ensure its scientific disposal through the authorized vendors, he added.
K.K. Pant said that use of masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment during this pandemic period is one of the most important factor in preventing the spread of virus. He also appealed to all the persons not infected with Corona Virus to keep the used masks and gloves in paper bags or separate bins for a minimum of 72 hours and to cut it before its disposal as general waste, so as to prevent its reuse.
He informed that theme for World Environment Day 2021 is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. On the occasion of World Environment Day, 2021. He appealed the people to take pledge to work hard for conservation of ecosystems and the recovery of those that have been destroyed or degraded. The Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board is committed to the cause of ecosystem restoration and undertaking all required measures for the same, he added.
