Mumbai
Mirror: Mumbai: Sunday, 08 February 2015.
The city's
only biomedical waste treatment plant at Govandi, run by SMS Envocare, is
functioning without an authorisation letter from the Maharashtra Pollution
Control Board (MPCB) since January 2014, an RTI query has revealed.
The MPCB
authorisation letter lays down terms and conditions for operating a biomedical
waste plant, and mentions the quantity of waste to be disposed at the facility.
The RTI
application was filed by Govandi resident Irfan Divate asking for details of
permissions given by MPCB to run the plant.
"The
facility is one of the biggest contributors to air pollution in the area. It
has an incinerator in which the waste is treated at high temperature. The
chimney attached to this incinerator releases dark fumes throughout the day,
visible from the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road. It is shocking to know that the
plant doesn't have MPCB authorisation," said Divate.
Biomedical
waste is generated by clinical establishments in the city, including hospitals,
blood banks and nursing homes. Mumbai generates 12 tons of biomendical waste
every day. According to doctors, TB, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
(COPD) and Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) are the three most prevalent
ailments in the neighbourhood.
An MPCB
official termed the letter a formality, saying they carry out regular checks.
"The application is pending with MPCB's head office due to some technical
issues and will be cleared in the next Consent Appraisal Committee meeting of
the board. Authorisation will be given for 2015-2017. It's not that MPCB has
turned a blind eye. We inspect air and water samples around the area every
month," said an official.
Local
representatives have filed complaints against the extensive pollution caused by
the plant, but BMC's environment department and MPCB maintain that all
parameters were below limits.
Dr A R
Supate, Principle Scientific Officer, BMC didn't respond to calls and messages.
Chetan Bora, director, SMS Envocare said they received the MPCB permission a
month ago. "There are regular inspections by MPCB and BMC," he added.
"We will
meet the Chief Minister to discuss this issue. This is a very serious issue and
we will resort to a mass movement to stop operations at this plant," said
local Samajwadi Party corporator Rais Shaikh.
"BMC
authorities are aware of this discrepancy, but no one bothers because this is
the only facility in Mumbai and the plant was set up here because space was
available. Our argument is, why does it have to be in Govandi? It used to be in
Sewri till 2009 and was moved here because of the increase in population there.
The scenario is the same in Govandi today," added Divate.
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