Door-to-door biomedical waste collection a challenge for Pune civic body

According to Dnyaneshwar Molak, head, PMC solid waste department, the city has 15 ward offices and they have given one van in each regional ward office

As more number of Covid-19 patients opt for home quarantine in Pune city compared to hospitals, it is becoming challenging for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to collect biomedical waste.

An officer from the health department said around three to four thousand kilo biomedical waste is collected daily mainly of Covid patients which is later disposed off scientifically.(Pratham Gokhale/Representative HT Photo)

As of August 11 out of the 15,043 active cases, almost 7,754 are in home isolation and 7,289 are in hospital isolation.

According to Dnyaneshwar Molak, head, PMC solid waste department, the city has 15 ward offices and they have given one van in each regional ward office.

“As the number of Covid-19 people opting for home isolation is on a rise, it is challenging for the civic body to conduct the door-to-door collection of biomedical and solid waste,” he said.

He said, “Health department is collecting the medical waste from Covid-19 positive patients at homes and other garbage is collected by the solid waste management department.”

One of the PMC class four employee who is the member of garbage collection on condition of anonymity said, “People are not following the norms while handing over the garbage. Even the employees are not aware of Covid-19 positive patients who are isolated at homes. I was collecting garbage from one housing society every day and later come to know that three to four Covid positive patients are home isolated in that society.”

An officer from the health department said around three to four thousand kilo biomedical waste is collected daily mainly of Covid patients which is later disposed off scientifically.

Molak said, “Health department has appointed a contractor for collecting the biomedical waste. They are regularly collecting garbage from patients.”

A resident from Sahakarnagar said, “I have two Covid positive patients who were isolated at home. I have put a bag in their room. PMC van comes every alternate day to collect the biomedical waste.”

A Covid-19 positive patient who has opted for home isolation said, “Earlier we were not aware of the waste segregation process, but later through Swacch employee we come to know that there is a separate arrangement for collecting waste from Covid patients. We got the number of one of the elected member and he helped to arrange for collection facility.”