10 February,2010 09:16 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
Nearly 4,000 doctors in the city are endangering the city environment by creating large amount of bio -medical waste (BMW) that is not being destroyed safely.
Not registered
These doctors have not registered themselves with the Pune Municipal Corporationu00a0 (PMC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), which disposes BMW by burning it in the PMC incinerator at Kailash crematorium. Of the total 5,000 medical practitioners in the city, only 1,000 have registered with PMC and MPCB for sending their daily BMW to the PMC incinerator.
"BMW mixed with general garbage poses a great health risk. Stuff like injection syringes could be packed and resold to unsuspecting citizens," said Pradeep Mulay, director, Passco Environmental Solution Pvt Ltd, the nodal agency appointed by the PMC for installation of BMW incinerators.
Mahesh Pathak, secretary, MPCB, said, "There are over 5,000 medical units across Maharashtra that do not dispose their BMW in keeping with MPCB norms."
Rule breakers
PK Mirashi, regional officer, MPCB, Pune, said, "We conducted survey in Pune three months ago that brought to light many clinics that do not dispose BMW as per stipulated norms. We will take action if they continue to flout safety rules," Mirashi said. Dr Avinash Bhondwe, former president, IMA, said, "The PMC should make incineratorsu00a0 available in 14 wards in the city." Dr DD Chandakkar, deputy health officer, PMC, said, "We have more than 350 BMV collection points, and have maintained a proper record of BMW for the last six months. We are doing what we can to keep BMW generated in the city under control."
