DESAM on Saturday expressed strong condemnations against the alleged burning of bio-medical wastes openly at JNIMS and demanded clarification on whether such way of openly burning bio-medical wastes is allowed by the Manipur Pollution Control Board.
The incinerator meant for treatment of biomedical wastes at JNIMS is no longer functioning though the hospital has been turned into Covid Care Hospital by the state government, said a release. Instead of properly burning the bio medical waste of the hospital in the incinerator, they are being openly burned at an empty spot, it said. This has resulted in burning of all the bio medical waste produced from the hospital in the open, it further said while adding the state government should draw attention as it can become another means to spread COVID-19 in the state.
If any health consequences arise out of this, the state government should take the responsibility, the release mentioned.
It further said that from 150 bedded hospital of JNIMS, around 15,000-20,000 litres of biomedical liquid are released every day. But there is no Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at RIMS, JNIMS or any other private hospitals in the state, it stated. Therefore, the toxic chemicals will pollute the environment and create health complications, it added.
Considering its importance, the authority concerned should focus on keeping an incinerator and ETP in their respective hospitals, DESAM said. There are only three incinerators in the state, of which two incinerators at RIMS and JNIMS are not functioning, the release said. One is at SHIJA Hospital but it is a small capacity, it added.
DESAM has already urged RIMS authority for the installation of ETP. The authorities informed that steps are being taken but the demand is yet to materialize, it said. DESAM will lodge a complaint to the National Green Tribunal if the demands are not met, it added.
