Jharkhand Cracks Down on Bio-Medical Waste Violations

48-Hour Storage Limit

Ranchi (IANS): The Jharkhand government has launched a crackdown on the improper disposal of bio-medical waste. During a high-level meeting on Friday, Ajay Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), mandated that healthcare facilities must not store untreated waste for more than 48 hours.

To ensure compliance, the state is rolling out a comprehensive new management framework centered on transparency and public safety.

Key Initiatives & Enforcement Measures

The government’s new strategy focuses on high-tech monitoring and severe penalties for non-compliance:

• Strict Deadlines: Facilities must treat or dispose of waste within 48 hours to minimize infection risks and environmental contamination.

• Enhanced Tracking: The state will strengthen existing GPS-based tracking and barcoding systems to monitor waste from the point of collection to final disposal.

• Severe Penalties: Authorities will penalize violating hospitals and clinics with heavy environmental compensation fines or the cancellation of their registration.

• Remote Solutions: For inaccessible areas, the government has directed officials to utilize scientific methods such as deep burial.

Current Infrastructure

Officials confirmed that the state currently maintains a functional network to handle these requirements:

• 5 Operational Facilities: Five Common Bio-medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBWTFs) currently manage the state’s hazardous waste.

• Scientific Oversight: ACS Ajay Kumar Singh emphasized that the Department will no longer tolerate negligence, as it directly threatens public health.