Maha: Medical Professionals slapped Rs 70000 fine for impropoer Biomedical Waste disposal

Pune: A serious environmental concern has recently come to light within the jurisdiction of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) as two medical professionals have been fined a total of Rs 70,000 by PCMC for improperly disposing bio-medical solid waste along the stretch from River Residency to Koloshi Road. 

A number of medical professionals, private facilities, and businessmen had to cough up a hefty amount for not adhering to the guidelines of Bio-medical waste management. This incident raises significant concerns about the adherence to proper biomedical waste disposal rules by medical professionals and hospitals in our area. Biomedical solid waste includes materials that are potentially infectious or dangerous to human health. Improper disposal of such waste can have severe consequences, both for public health and the environment.

In this specific case, the accused medical professionals neglected proper disposal procedures, leading to the imposition of fines by the PCMC. Similarly, a businessman found to have been in the vicinity of dengue larvae has been fined Rs. 10,000. Moreover, local authorities have also penalized Mangalam Clinic Chikhli and Shree Samarth Clinic Moshi, each of them Rs 35,000 as a result of their involvement in the unscientific disposal of bio-medical waste, reports Punekarnews.in. 

Under the direction of Assistant Commissioner Anna Bodde, Assistant Health Officer Tanaji Date, Health Inspector Vaibhav Gholve, and Amar Suryavanshi, a dedicated team was formed to carry out these enforcement operations. Authorities carried out inspections in the Chikhali Moshi area on Thursday. The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner, Shekhar Singh, has put stress on the need to maintain appropriate waste disposal procedures and advised everyone to abstain from roadside littering as it's important to maintain the city's cleanliness and aesthetics.

Proper disposal of biomedical waste is essential to prevent environmental pollution and protect public health. In India, the management and handling of biomedical waste are regulated by several laws and acts. The Biomedical Waste Management and Handling (Amendment) Rules, 2016 was introduced to improve the segregation of waste at the source and to promote the concept of sustainable biomedical waste management. It emphasized the need for proper training, categorization of healthcare facilities, and color-coded segregation of waste. The rules were revised and updated in 2018 to further strengthen the regulations related to biomedical waste management. It focused on the safe disposal of bio-medical waste, encouraging the use of non-burn technologies, and ensuring the proper treatment and disposal of biomedical waste in an environmentally friendly manner.