Medical waste festers as authorities pass buck……Shiva Devnath
The hazardous biomedical waste, found illegally stored in a truck and a BMC worker’s house at Atlanta Ground in Deonar, is still raising a stink in the area as no authority has bothered to take charge of disposing it.
Residents say that it is getting difficult for them to breathe, what with the stench.
MiD DAY had earlier reported (‘Biomedical scam: Used syringes, bloody gloves alert locals’, MiD DAY, December 2) about a truckload of stinking hospital waste at BMC that police found at civic worker Bala Kamble’s house and in a truck parked outside his house.
Both police and BMC were investigating the matter which turned out to be an illegal racket of reusing medical gear like used gloves, syringes, needles and so on.
Buck passing
However, neither the BMC nor police has taken any action to remove the toxic waste, which, as the police had admitted earlier, is capable of spreading diseases.
Deonar police claims that they are helpless unless the BMC files an FIR. “We cannot take action until then.
Deonar police claims that they are helpless unless the BMC files an FIR. “We cannot take action until then.
They have just given a letter of complaint. Also, the truck has not been handed over to us. It is not possible to investigate the matter until that happens,” said a Police Inspector of Deonar police station.
On the other hand, the BMC says it is the police that will have to take the first step in order for the BMC to take any action.
M-Ward officer Tukaram Balerao said, “Till the police files a panchnama, we can’t remove the waste from the place.”
While the BMC and the police are waiting on the other to clean up the mess, the medical waste is making life a putrid hell for the residents of Atlanta Ground.
“It has been over three days and no action has been taken. The medical waste is spreading such foul and rotten smell in the area that it is difficult to breathe.
Also, there is a fear of diseases spreading. We think that since a BMC worker is involved in the racket, the civic body is turning a blind eye to the case,” said Deonar-based social worker Irfan Divate.