Khurda: The district headquarters hospital (DHH) in this town has taken the appearance of a huge garbage dump with various types of throwaways including medical waste scattered at various places. This was brought to the notice of this correspondent by some hospital staff and relatives of patients.
They alleged that there is no proper waste management system in place in the hospital. As a result, garbage from the hospital is being dumped in a place behind the post-mortem department and the Covid-19 vaccination centre. There is also no proper collection management and so garbage is piling up at the two locations. Also the lack of dustbins means that people visiting the hospital dispose of articles in a scattered manner.
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According to a source, on an average three to four tonne of waste is deposited from the hospital every day. Among them are medical waste and other disposables like green coconut shells, plastic wrappers and food items. The source said that the garbage disposal areas have become breeding ground for mosquitoes.
On being contacted, senior official of the DHH, Biswamohan Mishra said, “Previously, there was temporary dumping yard surrounded by five-foot walls on four sides. The DHH had signed a contract with Khurda Municipality and was paying Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 per month for garbage collection.”
He also said that the dump yard had ceased to exist after construction for several new buildings began. The official added that patients and the people attending to them have been asked to throw their garbage at a designated spot.
PNN