Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
The municipal corporation, with the help of a private company, is scientifically processing the waste generated in government and private hospitals in the city. Remarkably, the corporation does not incur any cost for this process. On the contrary, the company pays the corporation Rs 7.55 lakh every month, resulting in an annual income of at least Rs 1 crore for the civic body through bio-medical waste.
Medical waste – a source of income
While the municipal corporation collects household waste and has to spend large amounts to process it, medical waste has become a source of income. Recently, the municipal corporation entrusted a Biotech Company from Goa with the responsibility of processing medical waste. The company collects waste from hospitals and processes it at its plant located in Gevrai on Paithan Road.
650 clinics in the city
Medical waste is collected daily from both government and private hospitals in the city. Charges for waste disposal are levied based on the number of hospital beds.
2.5 tons of waste daily
Approximately 2.5 tons of medical waste is collected from the city each day. The private company ensures scientific disposal of this waste as per the standards set by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).
Public dumping is a crime
Dumping medical waste in public places is a serious offense. The municipal corporation has previously imposed heavy fines on hospitals found violating this rule.
Municipal corporation sets an example
The municipal corporation is taking a leading role in medical waste management. According to Dr Paras Mandalecha, Municipal Officer of Health (MoH), there has been significant improvement compared to earlier, and all processes are now carried out in full compliance with the regulations.