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MP Supriya Sule expressed concern over medical waste dumping
The incident came to light when some citizens spotted the waste along the Canal Road in Mirgalwadi village in Daund on December 16
Taking cognisance of medical waste that has been dumped illegally on the bank of a canal in Daund tehsil, Supriya Sule, a member of Parliament, expressed concern on social media about the incident. In a post, Sule, the Baramati MP mentioned the non-compliance with the bio-medical waste rule and also demanded that state and district authorities ensure that these guidelines should be followed strictly.
The incident came to light when some citizens spotted the waste along the Canal Road in Mirgalwadi village in Daund on December 16. The citizens promptly informed police officials about the incident. The police personnel later visited the spot, and the boxes were cleared from the water body with the help of the local administration.
The source of the medical waste was unknown as the boxes did not display any name.
In her post on X (formerly Twitter), Sule wrote, “ There are specific guidelines on how to dispose of biomedical waste and other items that are being thrown from hospitals. But they do not seem to be followed. It has been found that injection boxes have been thrown into the Khadakwasla Canal passing through Daund taluka and this type of incident is happening frequently. As the water flowing from the canal is used for agriculture and drinking purposes, this type of incident poses a serious threat to the health of citizens and livestock. Therefore, this incident is very serious, and the state government and administration should ensure that the guidelines regarding waste disposal, especially of medical waste are followed strictly.”
Meanwhile, the Health Department, Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) were also informed about the illegal dumping. On Tuesday, officials from respective departments visited the location where the medical waste was discarded.
When contacted, Sachin Desai, the district health officer said, “On this issue, the Food and Drug Authority is a more competent agency to comment.”
Girish Hukare, joint commissioner (FDA Drug), Pune region said, “Our official visited the site, and the investigation is going on about the source of the medical waste.”
Despite multiple attempts, the officials from MPCB were not available for comment.
While the authorities have launched an investigation in this regard, the citizens claimed that this waste had been dumped by a pharmaceutical company from the nearby MIDC area. Some citizens also said that these items were carried in a tempo and thrown near the waterbody on Monday, December 15.
While the case is still being investigated, it has prompted severe concerns about potential risks to human health, agriculture, and livestock.
