The Committee on Environment (EC) of Jammu and Kashmir today directed the higher authorities of Health Department, Pollution Control Board and other allied departments to take collective measures for disposal of bio-medical wastes collected from all health institutions of the state.The Committee which met here today, under the Chairmanship of MLA, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami to discuss the management and disposal of bio-medical and other wastes along with the status of pollution controlling devices installed in the Government and Private hospital of the state.Legislators, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, Rajesh Gupta, Gulzar Ahmed Wani, Ch. Mohammad Akram, Daleep Singh Parihar, Bashir Ahmed Dar and Pawan Kumar Gupta attended the meeting and gave their valuable suggestions to improve the environment scenario in the state.The Committee discussed and observed that the treatment plants of Lassipora and Samba are not working satisfactory and directed the Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Pawan Kotwal to take necessary action in this regard and personally visit the sites.It also informed about the working of Treatment plants situated at village Rakhrara, Samba and Common Bio-Waste facility situated at Lassipora, Pulwama. The Committee expressed dissatisfaction over the working of the agencies and gave directions to further streamline the functioning of the same.The higher authorities of Pollution Control Board were directed to submit the copies of notices served to the various hospitals for not meeting the standards set by the PCB along with the action taken in this regard as early as possible.The Committee also directed concerned authorities to take necessary steps to remove bottlenecks if any and adopt a mechanism to achieve the goals as per the need to save environment for precious human life and their coming generation.
Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education, Pawan Kotwal briefed the Committee about the measures adopted by the health department including necessary steps for proper segregation, collection, transportation and disposal of Bio-Medical waste generated in Government health institutions besides the present status of installation of Pollution Controlling Devices in the government and private hospitals.He said that the colour coded dustbins with plastic bags have been installed in all the wards and sections of the hospitals. Needle syringe destroyers are also made available in all the wards and sections of the hospitals, he added.Director Health, Kashmir, Dr Saleem-Ur-Rehman, Director Health, Jammu, Dr Gurjeet Singh, Principal GMC, Kashmir, Dr Samia Rashid, Principal, GMC, Jammu Dr Sunanda and Director Environment & Ecology, Om Prakash Sharma also briefed the Committee about the steps being taken for proper segregation of bio-medical and other wastes besides problem being faced by the concerned authorities to achieve the desired results.Among others, Principal Chief Conservators, Wildlife, Manoj Pant, Chairman Pollution Control Board, B Siddharath Kumar, Mission Director, NHM, Dr. Mohan Singh, Medical Superintendent, CDH Jammu Dr Manoj Chalotra, M S, MCH, Dr Dara Singh besides Special Secretary, Assembly, R L Sharma, Additional Secretary, Assembly, Naseem Jan and other senior officers of concerned department and Assembly Secretariat were also present in the meeting.