Imphal, August 17: Chairman of Manipur Pollution Control Board (MPCB) MLA E Dwijamani has informed that legal action would be initiated against Imphal Hospital for the latter's failure to dispose off the Bio-medial waste properly.

The MPCB Chairman announced this after an inspection tour of seven hospitals in Imphal area today.

The Chairman was accompanied by MLA Lokeshwar and other Board officials during the inspection of Babina Diagnostic and Research Centre, Imphal Hospital, Suba Hospital, Shija Hospitals and Research Institute, Raj Polyclinic, Catholic Medical Centre and Maipakpi Hospital.

The inspection was carried out to find out how the Bio-medical wastes are being handled in the private hospitals and clinics and whether they are following the laid down guidelines under the Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 for disposal.

Not happy with the manner of handling the Bio-medical waste at Imphal Hospital, MPCB Chairman said legal action would be initiated against the said hospital.

The Chairman said besides human tissues, all the wastes including Biomedical waste generated from Imphal Hospital are being disposed of by setting them on fire on the top floor of the Hospital while the human tissues are taken to Ngariyan hill for disposal as disclosed by its managing director Salam Maipak.

The Chairman explained that in accordance with Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, Bio-medical wastes are to be collected in four different colour coded containers like yellow, red, blue/white, black and they cannot be mixed up.

All the human anatomical wastes, human issues, organs, body parts, microbiology and biotechnology wastes and soiled wastes are to be kept in the yellow container and the same has to be disposed off through incineration or deep burial.

The red container is meant for collecting all the solid wastes which need to be disposed of through autoclaving/microwaving/chemical treatment.

All wastes are to be kept in the blue/white container while all the waste medicine and chemical wastes as well as that of incinerator wastes are to be kept in the black container.

In accordance with the Act, the Bio-medical wastes are also categorised into 10 types as human anatomical waste, animal waste, microbiological/biotechnology waste, waste sharps, discarded medicines and cytotoxic drugs, solid waste, soiled waste, liquid waste and incineration ash chemical waste.

Imphal Hospital has been following none of these guidelines in the disposal of generated Bio-medical wastes thereby increasing the chances of causing more health hazard to the people, he said, adding that the matter is very serious as some restrictions have already been imposed on the Hospital by MPCB since February 15 this year.

Appreciating management of the Bio-medical wastes in other hospitals, Dwijamani said the method being followed at Shija Hospital for disposal of Bio-medical wastes should be emulated by all the private health centres as well as by all the health centres under the Government.

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