Biomedical waste continues to pile on the bank of Subernarekha river and on the approach road to Dimna lake on the foothills of Dalma hill as city-based activists continue to raise concerns. The waste is increasing at an alarming rate. The improper disposal of biomedical waste along with domestic waste continues to take a toll on the animals. Tonnes of bio-medical waste have accumulated near the river bank.
Most of the hospitals and nursing homes litter used syringes, needles, plastic items, bandages and empty medicine and saline bottles. Sources informed that cases of animals dying near the bank of river have been reported recently. A senior official of Tata Steel Zoological Park said that proper disposal of biomedical waste is important. As littering the waste might lead to danger for animals, both carnivores and herbivores. The waste is a threat for cows and scavengers like crow and carnivores like dogs.
The Bio-medical Management and Handling Rules, specifies that bio-medical waste should be dumped in a place, which is at least 2.5 km from the hospital, and should be treated in a waste disposal plant. Jharkhand Human Rights Conference chief Manoj Mishra, who filed a PIl at Jharkhand High Court against improper disposal of biomedical waste in the State in 2012, said that it is matter of great concern that waste is being littered and several animals have died after consuming waste. We have decided to visit the site again.
The human rights body had earlier raised the issue and given an ultimatum to the Pollution Control Board whether nursing homes and hospitals in the city follow the norms. In response to the ultimatum, the regional office of the State Pollution Control Board sent a team to inspect the nursing homes and hospitals. The board team inspected only two nursing homes — lifeline Nursing Home in Sakchi and Steel City Clinic and Research Centre at Bistupur. It also inspected the Government MGM Medical College and Hospital.
Social worker Prakash Sharma said that the Pollution Control Board had established hospitals have been violating the bio-medical waste disposal norms resulting in an unhygienic condition. “We would also pressurise the board to conduct similar inspection in the other nursing homes and come out with its fact-finding report," he noted. He said that they have demanded action against the private nursing homes so that administration might find out a solution for resolving the issue, which results in health hazards.
Meanwhile, civic body Mango Notified Area Committee official, said that they have been cleaning the banks of Subernarekha River. But at present, they are facing manpower crisis. “We have been facing staff crunch. Our outsourced staff is engaged in cleaning domestic and municipal waste in the Mango area. However, we will take steps to clean the stretch soon,” said the official.