CAG raises serious concerns over bio-medical waste management in Meghalaya, questions MSPCB’s data

Shillong, Sept 4: The recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has raised serious concerns about the inadequate handling and disposal of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) in Meghalaya.

Except for the Shillong Municipal Board, the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Town Committees across the state lack the necessary Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facilities (CMBWTF) mandated by the Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) Rules, 2016, resulting in improper disposal practices, posing significant risks to public health and the environment.

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According to the CAG report, the BMW in Tura was either disposed in the deep burials available in Rongkhon Songittal, the dumpsite of Tura or in the deep burials of the respective hospitals.

In Jowai and Nongpoh, BMW was disposed by the hospitals concerned and were not collected by the JMB and Nongpoh Town Committee.

During Joint Physical Verification (JPV) of Rongkhon Songittal, the dumping site of Tura Municipal Board, it was noticed that BMW such as syringes, ampoules etc, were openly dumped.

“Improper disposal of BMW would not only affect public health but also lead to contamination of the surrounding environment,” it said.

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Further, the report stated that despite an increase in bio-medical waste (BMW) generation from 2017 to 2020, treatment by Common Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility (CBMWTF) surged from 37 percent to 76 per cent, while captive treatment declined. The captive treatment was shown to have decreased by 63 % to 24%.

Further, during the year 2019 and 2020, an amount of 313.9 kg/day (25%) and 367.8 kg/day (24%) was shown to be treated by CBMWTF.

However, scrutiny revealed operational issues with the sole CBMWTF in Shillong. The report noted that from August 2018 to March 2021, the only CBMWTF in Shillong was not operational. The CAG has cast doubt on the accuracy of reported data provided by MSPCB to CPCB. “Hence, MSPCB provided the unverified information to CPCB resulting in compilation of incorrect reports which raised questions about the reliability of data maintained by MSPCB,” the report said.

Meanwhile, the CAG also stated that healthcare facilities in Meghalaya showed a gradual decrease in unauthorized status from 2017 to 2020 under the Bio Medical Waste Management Rules 2016, but MSPCB should ensure compliance of BMW Rules, 2016 by all the healthcare facilities in the state.

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