Civic body defends NCP, says organiser of blood donation camp is not responsible for dumping bio-medical waste near waterbody; the party's ambitious drive, endorsed by Salman Khan at Sambhaji Park on Thursday, goes bust
Civic body defends NCP, says organiser of blood donation camp is not responsible for dumping bio-medical waste near waterbody; the party's ambitious drive, endorsed by Salman Khan at Sambhaji Park on Thursday, goes bust
Piles of blood-soaked cotton swabs and used syringes dotted the Mutha riverside. These were the remains of a blood donation camp organised by NCP's Anil Bhosale at Sambhaji Park on JM Road to celebrate Ajit Pawar's birthday.u00a0 
Dumping yard? Bio-medical waste litter Mutha river banks in the city.
Pic/Krunal Gosavi
To make matters worse, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is happy doing nothing about it. The event that was organised by actor Salman Khan camp was also a tribute to those who lost their lives in the 13/7 serial blasts in Mumbai.
Though the event garnered much positive response with over 7,000 people donating blood, the cotton gauzes and syringes dumped indiscriminately on the riverside was not a pretty sight to behold.u00a0
Bio-medical waste
"We had organised four such camps in the last four years and we know the rules of cleaning garbage and disposing the bio-medical waste. About 21 blood banks from in and around the city were given the responsibility of the camp. The blood-soaked cotton swabs and syringes were disposed by people representing the blood banks. It is not our responsibility to clean up every thing. In fact, we had given a contract to the PMC
to clear the camp," said Bhosale.
Dilip Wani, president of Jankalyan blood bank in the state, said his band had participated in the camp on Thursday. "According to the Bio-medical Waste Management Act, it is the responsibility of each bank to dispose the waste after the camp. It should be verified first, who has not disposed its share of waste in the camp."
Pradeep Mule, director, Passco, Environmental Solutions Private Ltd appointed by the PMC for bio-medical waste management and disposal, admitted, "It is the responsibility of these blood banks involved in the camp. PMC should impose a fine of Rs 5,000 to each and use the money to dispose the waste."
PMC's take
Dr R R Pardeshi, Chief Medical Officer, PMC said, "It is not the fault of the organisers but of those blood banks involved in the camp. I have been given orders to investigate it and we may be able to take actual action in
the next three days against those who were involved in not disposing the bio-medical waste as per the prescribed norms."
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