SEPA Directs Hospitals To Prepare Waste Management Plan Within 15 Days

HYDERABAD, Feb 2 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 02nd Feb, 2017 ) : The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) here Thursday conducted personal hearings of sugar mills, hospitals and municipal officials with regard to pollution of the waterways.

The SEPA's Regional Director Muneer Ahmed Abbassi informed the APP that Director General SEPA Naeem Ahmed Mughal conducted the hearing under Section 21 (1) of Sindh Environmental Protection Act, 2014, at the agency's regional office.

During the hearing the DG asked municipal officials to take the urgent measures for treatment of waste water and introduce measures for controlling the toxic air emissions. The DG also gave 15 days to all hospitals to prepare a hospital waste management plan in line with the Act, warning them of action in case of failure.

"There are many hospitals in the Hyderabad region which produce dangerous solid and liquid wastes which is harmful if not disposed of properly. The hospital waste poses a significant threat to human health and environment," he observed.

He told the administrative officials of the hospitals who attended the hearing to ensure that the waste management included waste segregation, waste collection, waste transportation, waste storage, waste disposal and waste minimization and reuse.

Mughal said SEPA had taken serious notice on disposal of untreated hospital waste water into natural environment specially in the fresh water bodies which makes water quality unfit through bacteriological contamination.

"This agency has issued several notices regarding compliance of Hospital Waste Management Rules, 2014, to the hospitals. But in non-compliance of the notices, no action has been taken by the hospitals," he said, adding that enough time had been given to the management of hospitals in that regard.

During hearings the Director General emphasized that all municipal officials should calculate the pollution load of solid waste in each Taluka Municipal Administration (TMA) and same data must be communicated to SEPA.

"The inadequate system for the treatment and supply of drinking water to the peoples of Hyderabad region is in place," he noted. He warned the officials that failure to comply with the directions would result in action in accordance with the Act.

During the hearing the representatives of SITE Association Hyderabad and Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) assured the DG SEPA that they submit an undertaking on behalf of all industrial units regarding the fulfillment of all codal formalities.