Govt to take action against dumping of medical wastes into Myntdu river: Hek

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 1, 2020

The state government has taken strong cognizance on the haphazard disposal of medical wastes from hospitals into the Myntdu river in West Jaintia Hills District.

“We are going to take action on the matter as to how medical wastes are finding their way out of the hospitals (to the river),” Health Minister AL Hek said on Monday.

The haphazard disposal of bio-medical wastes from hospitals was witnessed by farmers at Jowai on Sunday after the recent flood caused by overflowing of the Myntdu river due to heavy rainfall last week.

Syringes of different sizes and other medical wastes were seen making their way to the paddy fields at Umchangpung, Pynthor wah, Jowai along the river after the water receded..

The farmers have gone to look at their paddy fields which have been badly affected due to the flash flood. 

“We are highly aggrieved by this act of negligence on the part of the hospitals, whoever is responsible for such haphazard disposal of bio-medical wastes to the river and thereby raising health concern,” said Ikwol Sumer, one of the affected farmers.

“We strongly condemned this irresponsible action, as it is highly unacceptable,” he said.

Urging the government to take necessary action on the matter, Sumer said it is the duty of the hospitals to ensure bio-medical wastes are properly disposed of so that they do not pose threat to the health safety of the citizens.

According to him, the incident of haphazard dumping of hospital wastes has caused even more distress to the farmers.

Also Read | Medical wastes dumped into Myntdu river spill over to paddy fields

It may be mentioned here that the Assembly’s Committee on Environment (CoE) had on June, last year taken strong note that many hospitals are functioning without incinerators for propoer disposal of bio-medical wastes in the state.

Chairman of the Committee and Mawphlang legislator SK Sunn had informed that none of the hospitals in Shillong city and other parts of the state have incinerators to treat biomedical wastes.

At present, North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) is the only hospital which is equipped with an incinerator.

Asked, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said the government is already in the process of procuring three incinerators for Shillong, Jowa and Tura. He however said in the absence of the incinerators, the municipal boards are taking care of medical wastes. According to him, the boards are also charging from private hospitals for disposal of medical wastes.