Delhi HC wants to know if any guidelines in place for disposal of testing kits

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought to know from the AAP government as to what guidelines or protocols were in place for the disposal of used Covid-19 testing kits and whether these rules were being followed by hospitals, clinics and doctors under its jurisdiction.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought to know from the AAP government as to what guidelines or protocols were in place for the disposal of used Covid-19 testing kits and whether these rules were being followed by hospitals, clinics and doctors under its jurisdiction.

During the hearing, the Delhi government counsels told the court that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had issued guidelines on the disposal of medical waste. (File photo for representation)

A bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan asked advocate Sanjoy Ghose, additional standing counsel of the Delhi government, to find out the guidelines or protocols in place, which authority issued them and if these were being implemented.

“Come with instructions,” the bench said while hearing a plea by a lawyer who alleged improper disposal of used swabs from rapid antigen testing at the district magistrate’s (South East Delhi) office in Lajpat Nagar.

The Delhi government spokesperson did not respond to queries.

The petitioner, Pankaj Mehta, said used swabs were “thrown out in public” and “tests were being carried out over a pile of used swabs for Covid-19” at the DM’s office.

“Upon complaining about the risk of widespread infection and the irregularity behind disposing of the swabs in this manner, the doctor concerned at the counter said the swabs were of negative patients and thus it was safe to stand over them and get yourself tested,” Mehta said.

Refuting the allegations, Ghose said he was informed that the swabs being referred to in the plea were unused or defective. He said he will nevertheless take instructions on the correct position and inform the court.

During the hearing, the Delhi government counsels told the court that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) had issued guidelines on the disposal of medical waste.

Mehta, in his petition, said the Union Health Ministry came out with the Clinical Management Protocol notification on July 3, which laid emphasis on safe waste management and cleaning of the environment at health care facilities, but the Delhi government was allegedly not enforcing it.

The matter would be now heard on December 3.