CHENNAI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has found several shortcomings in implementation of Biomedical Waste Management (BMW) Rules, 2016, and proposed hefty fines in the form of environment compensation and even closure of health care facilities for continued violation.
The State has been asked to carry out an inventory of the number of healthcare facilities, biomedical waste generation, its collection, treatment and disposal, within three months, CPCB said in a report filed with the National Green Tribunal.
Interestingly, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) has been submitting contradicting figures on the number of healthcare facilities and quantum of waste generated during the last two hearings before NGT in the case filed by social activist Jawaharlal Shanmugam. In April, TNPCB said there were 4,307 healthcare facilities generating 17,226 tonnes of bio-medical waste per annum. But, the latest submission says there are 7,651 healthcare facilities.
CPCB said Tamil Nadu had not completed undertaking an inventory of bio-medical waste generating healthcare facilities, not issued authorisation to non-bedded healthcare facilities like clinics, laboratories, completely. Besides, barcode system was yet to be implemented and details on coverage of Common Bio Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBMWTM) have not been submitted.
In view of this, CPCB asked Tamil Nadu to evolve a mechanism for monitoring compliance by healthcare facilities. Meanwhile, CPCB, based on certain key performance indicators, prepared a scale of compensation to be recovered from the violators of BMW Rules, according to which healthcare facilities found in violation can attract hefty fines and closure beyond 60 days from the compliance target date by CPCB and State pollution control boards. While disposing off the case, the green bench has tagged the Tamil Nadu case to pan India case on BMW currently being dealt by the NGT Chairman bench.
17,226 Tonnes of bio-medical waste generated per year, according to TNPCB