Other States - Assam

`Sanitary conditions in Guwahati Medical College hospital deplorable'

Special Correspondent

Team finds callous disposal of waste during surprise visit

GUWAHATI: Human limbs, blood bags and other highly infectious wastes were found strewn around in the vicinity of the gynaecological ward, operation theatre and paediatric wards of the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) during a surprise visit on Tuesday by a team of the Pollution Control Board, Assam.

The team, headed by the Board chairman, Prof. J. L. Dutta, found the sanitary conditions in the hospital "highly serious and deplorable."

In blatant violation of the pollution control rules, the hospital dumped solid waste in nearby area.

The drains in the hospital were full of contaminated wastes, raw sewage, bio-medical waste and other objectionable materials.

The team inspected the operation theatre and intensive care unit and found that norms for discharging bio-medical waste had not been observed at all. There was no segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste. The team found that liquid waste, parts of human limbs, blood bags and other highly infectious wastes and blood containing wastes were disposed of directly into the drains.

The team directed the principal and hospital superintendent to adopt measures to make the hospital campus pollution free.

The PCBA chairman also directed the GMCH authorities to install an incinerator and sewage treatment plant and to follow segregation techniques at the source itself for proper biomedical waste management.

The team also directed the authorities to organise a training programme for the staff on handling bio-medical waste.

The PCBA chairman asked the GMCH Principal to submit a report within one month on the steps taken to make the hospital wards and the campus pollution free.

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