Fake bio-med disposal plant shut down
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, December 20, 2013: Following Hueiyen Lanpao's special report on one private firm disposing hazardous biomedical wastes in total violation of the Government rules, the officials of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) raided and sealed the fake biomedical disposal plant of Rural Multipurpose Development Organization (RMDO) located at Samurou Makha Leikai near Essar Oil Pump in Imphal West district today.

The raid was conducted by the officials of MPCB today afternoon as per the instruction of MPCB Chairman Dr Ng Bijoy.

The MPCB team was led by Member Secretary K Jagdishwar, Senior Environmental Engineer T Mangi and Scientist Kh Tomba.

The MPCB officials found the compound of the disposal plant locked from outside.

So, the OC of Wangoi Police Station was called at the spot.

The police personnel then broke the locks and the officials conducted the raid inside the compound.

The disposal plant was found to be functioning in a hazardous manner in total violation of all guidelines for proper disposal of biomedical wastes.

On closer investigation inside the compound, a large number of used disposable syringes were found collected neatly in separate containers for the barrels, needles and plungers.

A manager of a private hospital in Imphal told Hueiyen Lanpao that large polythene bags containing biomedical wastes are tied up tightly before they are handed over to the waste collectors.

In no case, the polythene bags were handed over to the collectors untied.

However, the waste bags lying inside the RMDO compound were mostly untied.

Syringes and other plastic materials were kept separately from other biomedical wastes.

It is strongly suspected that the sorted out plastic materials are to be recycled for sale in the market in new packages.

Moreover, no specialized equipments such as autoclave, incinerator, sharp pit and shredder were found inside the plant except for a large furnace, where the wastes are directly burned.

The dimension of the compound is roughly 40X50 feet and it has a small open pond, a shed and a three-foot high tank divided into four compartments.

Several waste bags in red, black and blue colours were also found piled up inside the compound.

The biomedical wastes from the plant were found scattered even to nearby fields and drains as a result of improper handling by the RMDO.

Member Secretary of MPCB K Jagdishwar said that the biomedical waste disposal plant at Samurou is run by a registered firm called �Rural Multipurpose Development Organization� whose chief functionary is one Salam Modhusudhon.

The firm has totally violated the Biomedical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.A firm needs to get permission from Manipur Pollution Control Board before starting such plant, but the RMDO has not sought any permission from MPCB in this regard.

Senior Environmental Engineer T Mangi said that the way of handling biomedical wastes by RMDO is quite disheartening.

The MPCB would take up effective measures to deal with such problems before they cause serious health hazards to the people.

There are some biomedical wastes which should not be kept for more than 48 hours.

Steps would be taken up soon to ensure proper disposal of such hazardous wastes.

Improper disposal of biomedical wastes could lead to spread of infectious diseases during monsoon season, the Engineer pointed out.

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