HYDERABAD: The Telangana Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) will soon launch a digital tracking system to track Covid-19 waste disposal, check spillage and ensure segregation. “As there is a scare that Covid-19 can spread from biomedical waste as well, we are taking all precautions to prevent this. The app can monitor the life cycle of waste right from collection, segregation and transportation to incineration by geo-tagging every process and submitting details on a common platform,” a TSPCB official for waste management told Express.
He added that so far TSPCB was using a barcode system to note the quantity of biomedical waste collected every day in Telangana. Now, the new system would track Covid-19 waste and have a centralised monitoring system. “In this new software, all waste generators, transporters and those handling treatment facilities will be asked to register themselves on the app.
They will upload details of how much yellow and red bag garbage (marked specifically for Covid-19 waste) is being collected from their locations. These details will be monitored by the TSPCB to check for any discrepancy,” he said.
The move comes after the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) created a digital tracking system and asked States to implement it. In the last 30 days, 30 tonnes of biomedical waste was collected in Telangana, the TSPCB official said. On average, 800-1,000 tonnes of bio-medical waste is collected every day in the State, of which the highest collection is from Hyderabad. According to the CPCB, States would have to take a call on the extent of penal action.
800-1,000 tonnes
bio-medical waste is collected every day in Telangana. Of this, the highest collection is from Hyderabad