BSPCB slaps closure notices on 18K medical facilities

In a bid to ensure strict adherence to environmental norms, the Bihar state pollution control board (BSPCB) has launched a massive crackdown against those institutions, accused of not following the stipulated guidelines for the disposal of bio-medical wastes, BSPCB officials said.

Beginning last week, the BSPCB had identified more than 18,000 medical colleges, nursing homes, pathological centres, blood banks, etc., and served closure notices on them for their failure to adhere to the bio-medical waste management rules 2016, officials said.

“We have sent proposed closure notices to around 18,000 hospitals, nursing homes, pathological centres, and blood banks across six districts, namely Patna, Nalanda, Bhojpur, Buxar, Kaimur, and Sasaram, asking them to reply within 15 days. The board would be compelled to close them if they fail to offer a satisfactory reply within the stipulated period,” said BSPCB chairman Ashok Ghosh.

Last year, Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) was fined ₹5 lakh for its apathy to proper and scientific disposal of bio-medical waste. BSPCB officials said that inadequate management of bio-medical wastes often led to the spread of contagious diseases among human beings and animals. “All the medical and healthcare institutions, generating medical wastes, either have to have captive incinerators or tie up with authorised bio-medical waste processing units for waste disposal,” said the official.

“We have begun the drive to ensure strict adherence to the bio-medical waste management rules. Locations of medical facilities are being compiled in other districts for action,” said Ghosh.

With around 1.40 lakh beds in all medical hospitals and nursing homes, the daily generation of bio-medical wastes is stated to be around 60,000 metric tonnes. “As per the reports, 30,000-35,000 MT of wastes are reaching the bio-medical waste processing plants at Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur. The BSPCB has already proposed setting up additional such plants in other districts so as to cater to the load. Private firms having good credentials would be given licenses to set up incinerators through competitive bidding,” said an official familiar with the issue. Hindustan Times