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Anjanapura residents livid over medical waste

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  • Anjanapura residents livid over medical waste

    Source: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=147587

    Anjanapura residents livid over medical waste
    Residents of Anjanapura Layout in Bangalore are livid over the heap of medical waste dumped by two prime hospitals in their locality. This has made the residents fear outbreak of major epidemic, which is not completely baseless..

    NAUSEATED BY the stench of garbage, residents of Anjanapura Layout in Bangalore are livid about the huge mountains of medical waste piled in their locality. Life for the residents of this locality has become difficult as medical waste from two major hospitals in the city is being dumped in this area.

    Wockhardt and Apollo, the two prime hospitals are solely responsible for leaving the medical wastes on the roads that undermines the health of the residents here. It has been happening since the last few months. The hospital authorities have shown reluctance in resolving this issue, makes their ethical standards questionable.

    Huge piles of wastes are being left by these two hospitals on the road from Anjanapura Layout to Kanakapura Road. Apart from used syringes, vials, blood samples, gloves, tissues, aborted foetuses, bio-medical waste including blood-smeared gloves and towels are also being dumped in the locality. All this medical waste is creating a poisonous atmosphere.

    The residents of the Layout and Hovanahalli, Avalahalli, Raguvanhalli, JP Nagar ninth phase and Konankunte are suffering , as they have to stay in this poisonous atmosphere. The residents now fear a possible breakout of major epidemic.

    Besides residential apartments, three schools and a mosque are also situated in this area. People have to cover their noses, as the stench is intolerable and unhealthy, too. Everyday, the amount of medical garbage is increasing.
    The residents of the Anjanapura Layout filed a written complaint on Sunday (November 2) at the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The petitioners accused the Apollo Hospital authorities for creating such a polluted atmosphere. The residents also collected ample evidence against the concerned hospitals like lab reports, attendant passes, prescriptions and other materials from the site.

    The residents of Anjanapura Layout also called Helpline 108 (emergency helpline) to resolve the matter. But the local police station was informed to take action by the officials who attended the call. The KSPCB has also been informed to clean the garbage and dispose the same in accordance with the law.

    Generally, the biomedical waste is disposed in incinerators. Though there are very few hospitals which have the facilities of incinerators, the smaller medical institutes should ensure proper transfer of their medical waste to those incinerator-facilitated hospitals.

    But the concerned authorities of both the hospitals remained tight-lipped. While speaking to media, Ajay Singh Bais, general manager, Operations and Hospitality Services, Wockhardt Hospital, said that they have received some sugar packets and other printed labels used by the hospital, but they have never left any kind of medical waste in the locality. He also assured that the hospital authority would remain careful about keeping the surroundings clean.

    C D Kumar, senior environmental officer, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has promised to take necessary steps against the offenders and those who, by their reckless actions, endanger public health. Kumar also said that they are investigating the matter and collecting evidence. After receiving necessary evidence, Kumar said that they would issue show-cause notices to the concerned hospitals. At the same time, Kumar also promised to dispose the garbage as soon as possible.
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