Himachal Government has promulgated and implemented new Bio-Medical Waste Rules, 2016 from March this year envisaged on simplified procedure of bio waste disposal.
Chairman HP State Pollution Control Board, Kuldeep Singh Pathania emphasised the need for strict implementation of new regulations on bio-medical waste management and pointed out that these rules were comprehensive and clearly define the role of health care institutions, waste treatment facility operators, local authority, State Government and Pollution Control Board.
Speaking at an introductory workshop organized by HP State Pollution Control Board to sensitize the stakeholders about bio medical waste management, Pathania asserted that new features of the regulation especially Bar Code System for bags and containers containing bio medical waste is expected to eliminate pilferage and restrict the entry of waste in the illegal recycling market and will improve overall management of bio-medical waste. The workshop was attended by the senior functionaries of the State Government including department of Health, Medical Education, Ayurveda, Animal Husbandry, Members of Indian Medical Association and Operators of common-biomedical waste facilities.
Pathania said that pollution as a whole is a most sensitive subject of the era and everyone was concerned about pollution of every kind. The Government was doing concerted efforts in mitigating various issues related to pollution, he said.
Principal Secretary, HP Environment, Science & Technology, Tarun Kapoor expressed the need for allocation of adequate funds to the Health Department for proper management of bio-medical waste and strengthening of State Pollution Control Board as a prescribed authority for implementation of these Rules in Himachal Pradesh.