During its peak in April when active cases once crossed the 6,900 mark, a total of 1,52,098 kg of waste was generated. This number dwarfs the 74.124 kg of waste generated in the same month last year – at a time when the pandemic was settling in with around 15-20 active cases. May was not much different.
While the figure of 150 active cases stood at 1,02,875 kg in the month of last year, it was 1,65,729 kg in the same period when the active cases crossed 8,600. On an average, 5,346 kg of biomedical waste was generated per day in the month.
The data was extracted from a report compiled by the Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) for 16 months (April 2020 to July 2021) and sent to the Center on the instructions of the Centre. National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). In all, the city generated 22,77,627 kg of biomedical waste in 16 months.
The highest production of waste was recorded at 1,70,604 kg in October 2020. This was the time when almost all hospitals and medical facilities for non-Covid patients had resumed and the city was coming back to some kind of normalcy.
The report said that Chandigarh has 890 health care facilities, of which 49 are bedded and 841 are bedless.
Ensured proper disposal of biomed waste, says Dalai
COVID Biomedical Waste is produced by top three medical institutions – PGI, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, and . was done from Government Multispecialty Hospital, Sector 16 – and other civil hospitals, quarantine centers and municipal corporations.
UT Director Environment-cum-Member Secretary, CPCC, Debendra Dalai said that the committee ensured registration and proper disposal of biomedical waste in the city, which helped the UT to achieve the top position in the country.
In last year’s order, the NGT had observed that it was dangerous to dump the COVID-19 waste in a common bin or sewerage without safeguards. It recommended the use of best practices and innovative ideas under supervision, besides compiling data from all sources to prevent accidental spillovers and aid in strategic planning.
The order asked to educate waste handlers, employees and citizens about the precautions to be taken by them, and called for a local model plan. The Green Court asked the Central Pollution Control Board to coordinate with the media and central and state departments for the purpose.
The NGT had also directed the UT administration to ensure scientific storage, transportation, handling, management and disposal of COVID-19 waste and to submit a report on compliance with the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Last year, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had agreed to help the UT administration in the disposal of COVID-19 related biomedical waste in case of emergency like breakdown of Biomedical Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (BWTF) at Chandigarh.
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