The State government on Tuesday told the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that bio-medical waste in government hospitals was being disposed of strictly according to rules.
Special Government Pleader, representing the Tamil Nadu Department of Health and Family Welfare, submitted that solid bio-medical waste from hospitals was disposed of in accordance with the Bio Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules, 1998, through agencies authorised by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB).
The issue pertained to an application moved by Jawaharlal Shanmugam, a social activist.
Citing an incident that surfaced in August, 2014 when 16 dialysis patients, treated at Nephrology Department at Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, acquired Hepatitis C virus allegedly due to gross negligence on the part of the hospital, the petitioner claimed that the liquid biomedical waste discharged from the hospitals had the potential to cause deadly water-borne diseases, as there were highly contaminated with deadly pathogens.
The petitioner wanted the tribunal to direct all the government hospitals in the State to install sewage water treatment plants.
When the application came up for hearing on Monday before the Bench, comprising judicial member Justice P. Jyothimani and expert member R. Nagendran, the government submitted through an affidavit that only around 15 per cent of the waste was bio-medical, out of which, 10 per cent was hazardous and five per cent infectious waste. All categories of waste were disposed of according to rules.
In the wake of 16 dialysis patients being diagnosed with Hepatitis C Virus in Government Stanley Hospital, an expert committee was constituted, which said the infection was not because of hospital staff’s negligence.
The government had also paid suitable compensation to them. The Madras high court had also appointed a committee to file a report on infection control. After submitting its report, it had invited suggestions from people, said the affidavit.
Recording the submissions, the Bench posted the matter to November 18 for further hearing.
After recording the submissions, the Bench posted the matter to November 18 for further hearing
