Of waste and wasted mind
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: December 23, 2013 -

With increasing awareness on the hazards of poor management of bio-medical waste that could have far reaching impact not just on the health of human beings but also on the environment around them, the issue of improper handling and management of biomedical waste has emerged as a worldwide humanitarian concern today.

In such a situation, the raid conducted at a 'fake' biomedical waste disposal plant run by Rural Multipurpose Development Organisation (RMDO) at Samurou Makha Leikai in Imphal West district and its subsequent shut down by officials of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) 'so swiftly' following a series of reports carried by Hueiyen Lanpao on the nature of disposing off bio-medical wastes generated in the State is very well.

But more than the dubious nature of the private firm which has been charging fees and duping various hospitals, clinics, pathological laboratories, blood banks and other research institutions in the State by operating its 'fake' plant not just without the prior knowledge and permission of MPCB but also in total violation of the laid down norms and guidelines for disposal of bio-medical wastes, what has come as a complete surprise to the people is the manner in which the Government of Manipur and other health care centres have been completely caught sleeping from their responsibility of implementing the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 in the State all these years.

Formulated and finalised by the Government of India under Section 6 & 25 of Environmental Protection Act 1986, on July 20, 1998 and published in the official gazette on July 27, 1998; the Section 7 of Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 has clearly stated that the Government of every State and Union Territory shall establish a prescribed authority for granting authorisation and implementing these rules within one month of the coming into force of these rules, even though the said prescribed authority have to function under the supervision and control of the respective Government of the State or Union Territory.

From this, one could safely assume that MPCB, which was established in 1990, a good eight years ahead of enforcing the rules, must have been duly made the prescribed authority for granting authorisation and implementing of the rules in Manipur by the State Government well in time.

If that is the case, then what MPCB has been doing all these years with regard to implementation of these rules in Manipur, especially in the light of the fact that even a nondescript private firm could easily hoodwink it and all other health institutions generating bio-medical wastes in the State? What would MPCB have been doing today if there was no news report on the activities of RMDO? This is definitely questionable.

On the other hand, the management of every possible healthcare unit in the State have been boasting of strictly adhering to the rules of handling and disposal of the bio-medical wastes generated by them.

But how could they boast about that by simply keeping different coloured containers like yellow for keeping human anatomical/animals waste; red for microbiology and biotechnology, soiled and other solid waste; puncture proof blue container for sharp and solid waste and black for discarded medicines, drugs, etc, when all the wastes generated are loaded and transported in the same pick-up truck/van every day? All these show of a chronic symptom of wasted minds in Manipur, more than any amount of wastes that could be generated from any heath units in the State.