Environment

In a rare case, thanks to resident activism, a clinic in Iblur, which comes under the HSR Layout ward, was penalised by the BBMP. When a group of residents found medical waste like used syringes and cotton used to cover wounds, they immediately looked for the identities of the perpetrators. Soon enough, they found prescription receipts of Ganesh Clinic in Iblur.

When the news came to the notice of BBMP health inspector Vinodh GM, he immediately went to Ganesh Clinic and fined them for their offence with a warning that they should not be found repeating this crime ever again. “We have warned them that if they are found violating the waste disposal rules again. their operating licence will be quashed,” says Vinodh.

This is the second such instance in recent times where the culprits were penalised. About five month’s ago, Baliga’s Clinic staff was found dumping biomedical waste (open syringes and cotton swabs) in front of Salarpuria apartments on 5th Main in Sector 7. At the time, Vinodh had fined them Rs 10,000 for the crime. “The staff was unaware that Maridi Eco Industries was supposed to dispose off biomedical waste,” says Vinodh. “It was a case of misunderstanding. They have not repeated the offence since.”

If you run a clinic and don’t know how to dispose off waste, you can contact Maridi Eco Industries who specialise in medical waste disposal. This is not just to serve a warning to all the clinics and hospitals dumping medical waste on vacant sites and lakebeds, but to also sound the awareness alarm of the consequences of indulging in such an act. According to a 2000 study of World Health Organisation (WHO), millions of people were affected by HIV viruses due to contaminated syringes. In addition, when such waste is discarded in landfills, not only is the groundwater contaminated but also a health concern for all the people involved in clearing such waste like pourakarmikas, janitors and nurses.