Ludhiana, August 9
To dispose off Biomedical waste scientifically, the state unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has decided to enter into an agreement with two private companies.
Dr R.C.Garg, president of the state unit of the association, in a press note issued yesterday, said the companies, Miridi Echo Therm System and Pecmra Air System, would provide services to handle the waste.
He said the rates would be uniform at Rs 2 per bed, per day. The IMA office-bearers also held a meeting with the Chairman of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in Patiala to simplify the procedure for a PPCB authorisation.
Dr Garg said the IMA was concerned about the health of people of the state and the Biomedical Waste handling Rule, 1998, would be implemented on nursing homes treating more than 1000 patients per month. For hospitals having a bed-strength of less than 50, the deadline was December 31, 2002.
Special training would be given to hospital staff for segregation of waste and putting it in different coloured bags . The companies involved in the project would take these bags in special vehicles to the site of treatment plant, as per the guidelines. Dr Garg also has directed the chairman of the legal cell of the IMA, Punjab, to file a writ petition against alleged assault of some doctors following the death of a patient in a private clinic.
He said the IMA was worried about quacks practicing in the state but despite the directions given by the court, the government had failed to implement the orders.
