Nation Green Tribunal, Principal Bench, on Tuesday directed State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committee to make serious efforts to mitigate possible risk in terms of unscientific disposal of bio-medical waste, taking Suo-moto cognizance on the issue related to the disposal of bio-medical waste arising out of the handling of COVID-19 disease.
The Court said that they have gone through the ‘Guidelines for Handling, Treatment, and Disposal of Waste Generated during Treatment/ Diagnosis/ Quarantine of COVID-19 Patients’ issued by the CPCB and also discussed the need for revision of the laid down guidelines to address all concerns in the light of best practices and experience from time to time so that all aspects of scientific disposal of liquid and solid waste management are taken care such as manner of disposal of used PPEs, used bags, gloves, goggles, etc., without the same getting straightaway mixed with other municipal solid waste causing contamination, etc., dealing with situations where adequate facilities are not available, distinct color guidelines for the bins, etc.
The bench comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel took cognizance over a news item published in the Indian Express title, ‘Biomedical waste facilities, a red flag in coronavirus fight’, authored by Apurva Vishwanath and Karishma Mehrotra.
The Court also said that they are addressing a similar issue in the case of Shailesh Singh v. Sheela Hospital & Trauma Center, Shahjahanpur &Ors. and observed that “The waste generated on account of Covid19 disease has presented further challenge…”
The bench has reserved it’s order and further stated, that the task of Pollution Control Boards and Central Pollution Control Boards is part of essential services for COVID-19 and directed CPCB to convey the same to all concerned.
-India Legal Bureau