RTI activist accuses CPCB of denying info

Assam Tribune: Guwahati: Thursday, 04 September 2014.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA), have allegedly denied information to an RTI activist on the biomedical waste-related matters of Assam and Guwahati city.

RTI activist Rohit Choudhury told this newspaper that he had sought information from the PCBA on the size of biomedical waste generated in the city, on the process adopted for disposing the medical waste being generated by the hospitals related to the state-run medical colleges, private hospitals, small and big hospitals and clinics in Guwahati city.

Choudhury also wanted to know as to whether there are such wastes which cannot be destroyed in any way and what was the plan of the government to destroy such wastes and details thereof.

The PCBA supplied him the information through a reply on May 17 last to his queries made on March 28 last.

He then asked the PCBA to provide him the certified copies of the application (Form-I) made under the Bio Medical Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998 by the 482 biomedical waste generators of the State with the PCBA for grant of authorisation for the year 2014.

Moreover, since as per Rule 9 of the Bio Medical Wastes (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998, the government of every state or Union Territory should constitute an advisory committee, Choudhury had requested for the details of the committee constituted by the PCBA under Rule 9 of the Rules.

Choudhury filed his RTI application and first appeal respectively on May 8 last and July 23 last with the PCBA. The Board is yet to reply to his queries, Choudhury alleged.

On the other hand, the CPCB in reply to his RTI application filed on May 5 last, provided him only half of the information he had sought. Chouhdury had moved the CPCB seeking the certified copies of the annual report (Form II) of the last three years, that is, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, which were submitted by the PCBA under rule 10 of the Bio- Medical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998 to the CPCB.