Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding mismanagement of biomedical waste in Narsingpur district, Madhya Pradesh, 15/01/2024
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Central Zone Bench, Bhopal) in the matter of Ajay Pratap Singh Patel Vs State of Madhya Pradesh & Others dated 15/01/2024.
Issue raised in the application is violation of the Environmental (Protection) Rules, 1986, Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules 2016 as amended by (2nd Amendment Rules, 2019), Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 in the district Narsingpur, Madhya Pradesh.
It was alleged that entire chemical and biomedical waste collected in the city from different parts in the district Narsingpur, Sankaracharya ward is directly thrown into the Burman River and it is being flown in the main flow of the river Narmada. It was further contended that the entire waste is getting absorbed into the Narmada river and causing several diseases and polluting the water quality of the river, which is also a source of drinking water in the city.
The court said that to examine the compliance of the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016 following informations are required: i. Number of hospitals in the district, Narsingpur and capacity to generate the waste.
ii. Existing facility to dispose and the quantity.
iii. Quantity of disposal of untreated biomedical solid waste.
iv. Availability of the facility for Biomedical waste treatment and its distance with capacity of disposal per day.
Also information is required of the action taken by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Chief Medical Officer for non-compliance of biomedical waste management rules. As also remedial methods which are required to be taken by the authority concerned and actual action taken.
To examine the matter, the court constituted a committee with one representative each from the Collector, Narsingpur; Central Pollution Control Board and Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board. The committee was directed to visit the place and submit the factual and action taken report within six weeks.