LUDHIANA: Punjab State Human Rights Commission issued directions to the health department, municipal corporation and Punjab Pollution Control Board to submit report regarding disposal of biomedical waste by July 6. According to information, the commission took this step following a complaint filed by a resident of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Arvind Sharma, who had alleged that biomedical waste like tubes, disposable gowns, masks, scrubs, disposable tools, medical gloves, wound dressings, blood, materials made of glass and plastic pipes, syringes and needles were strewn carelessly in the civil hospital.

But the health department was not taking any remedial action, the complainant alleged. The matter was also highlighted in a news report published in Times of India on February 9. Arvind had mentioned this in his letter to the commission on February 10. The commission had forwarded it to director, health services and family welfare to look into the matter and submit the report. Arvind said another RTI activist Rohit Sabharwal too has asked for the records of past 10 years but the health authorities were able to give the disposal record of medical waste of only two years.

The health department that is entrusted with the job of safeguarding residents from diseases is itself ignoring this vital law. A cursory visit at the local civil hospital shows the apathy, said Sharma. He would approach PSHRC with the earlier report submitted by the hospital that had shrugged off its shoulders off the responsibility.