Disposal of biomedical waste

Recently several discarded PPE kits and other related items were found in the dustbin in Guwahati. It created a lot of panic among the public. Some even questioned the sincerity of the Government agency which is entrusted with transportation and disposal of biomedical waste. The magnitude of bio-medical waste has been increasing day by day. Meanwhile, the Government has decided to set up quarantine centres in every district. Schools, hostels, hotels etc have already been requisitioned and several of such institutions are used as quarantine centres. Some areas have been declared as containment zones where waste will get accumulated. In such a situation it is the duty of the Government to ensure that handling, transportation and disposal of biomedical waste is carried out as per norms of Biomedical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998 and the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board on handling of COVID-related trash. May I appeal to the government to share the fact of transportation, handling and disposal of biomedical waste of hospitals, quarantine centres, containment zones etc with the public by publishing those facts in the official website of each of the districts of Assam on Monday of every week?

Jayanta Deka,

Mangaldoi.