Dump site in Patiala: Illegal bio-medical waste was meant for Delhi-NCR
After unearthing an illegal bio-medical waste dumping site on the Dakala road, Patiala, it has come to light that the waste was meant to be transported to Delhi and the NCR region, from where it is suspected that it is reused and repurposed to make toys etc and then sold in the open.
The fact came to light when the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) officials, probing the purpose of dumping the hazardous waste, wrote to the PPCB chairman Adarshpal Vig about the development and sought further action in this regard.
The seized biomedical waste, falling in the red category, includes plastic syringes’ vials, oxygen masks, gloves, catheters, urine bags, plastic glucose bottles, pipes and some blood-stained tubes etc. Generally, the material, which is considered high-grade plastic, is processed through incinerators.
In some cases autoclave, used to sterilise objects, is employed for material, which does not contain blood stains, to shred it.
During the investigation conducted so far, it has been found that a complex network, comprising drivers ferrying biomedical waste and scrap dealers in Patiala, Delhi and NCR region, is at work in this nexus.
After collecting the biomedical waste from various hospitals, the drivers of biomedical waste collection agency used to call scrap dealers at a designated location and the biomedical waste bags were thrown from moving vehicles. This waste material was being collected by the scrap dealers and further transported to Delhi and the NCR region, stated Gurkaran Singh, XEN, regional Office, adding that further probe was on.
Sources said information pertaining to the seizure and its possible misuse or reuse had been shared with Science Technology and Environment Secretary of the Central Government.
The PPCB had unearthed an illegal bio-medical waste dumping site on Dakala Road during a surprise inspection prompted by a telephonic complaint on April 12.
The PPCB team discovered over 8 tonnes of bio-medical waste stored in open conditions at an unauthorised location on Saturday. Much of the waste was marked with barcodes from an authorised common bio-medical waste treatment facility in Mohali, indicating it had been diverted from legitimate disposal routes.
Legal proceedings were initiated under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 (amended 2024) against landowners, lessees, middlemen and others found involved in the matter.
Punjab