Minister for Forest, Environment, and Endowments, Konda Surekha, directed officials to transform Telangana into a role model for the rest of the country in bio-medical waste management. She emphasized that the management of bio-medical waste is crucial for safeguarding public health and protecting the environment.
Minister Surekha held a review meeting today at the Ministers’ Camp Office in Banjara Hills. The meeting focused on the implementation of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules (2016), the revision of user charges, scientific waste management, environmental protection, and public health safety.
Shailaja Ramaiyar, Principal Secretary of the Forest and Environment Department, and G. Ravi, Member Secretary of the Pollution Control Board, participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials briefed the Minister on the status of bio-medical waste management in the state. According to the 2024 annual report, officials informed Minister Surekha that 31.27 tonnes of bio-medical waste are generated daily across 11,457 healthcare facilities in the state. They explained that these facilities comprise hospitals with a total of 6,000 beds, as well as blood banks, laboratories, and outpatient (OP) clinics. Officials clarified that while there are currently permits for 13 Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBMWTFs) in the state, 11 of these centers are operational.
Minister Surekha inquired about the measures being taken to establish new CBMWTFs and increase their overall number. The Minister also questioned officials regarding the Central Pollution Control Board’s directive to conduct a ‘gap analysis study’ for setting up new CBMWTFs in 2025. Officials informed her that a proposal regarding this matter is currently under review by the Environment Protection Training and Research Institute (EPTRI). They explained that a final decision on establishing new facilities would be made once the report is received from EPTRI.
The meeting included an extensive discussion on the need to standardize the user charges paid by healthcare centers in the state for bio-medical waste management. PCB officials briefed Minister Konda Surekha on the regulations governing bio-medical waste management.
Minister Surekha sought details regarding various aspects of the guidelines. Officials explained that the Central Pollution Control Board had issued a directive in 2016 mandating uniform charges, noting that the matter has remained pending with the government since then. During the meeting, the Minister heard the views and representations of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (THANA), and the operators of the Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities (CBMWTFs).
While the IMA and THANA requested that charges for biomedical waste be based on weight, representatives of the CBMWTF insisted that charges be levied based on bed capacity, in accordance with Central Pollution Control Board directives. After hearing the arguments and concerns of both parties, Minister Konda Surekha directed them to submit their respective proposals and assured them that a follow-up review meeting would be held soon to find a solution.
Minister Konda Surekha directed officials to conduct continuous training and awareness programs for healthcare facility staff regarding bio-medical waste management. She instructed them to ensure that bio-medical waste is collected and treated within 48 hours, in accordance with central guidelines, and that subsequent processes are executed rigorously. She further ordered officials to adopt modern technology extensively in waste management and to implement effective measures to prevent any threat to public health.
Environmental protection initiatives to be undertaken in Warangal
Minister Surekha directed Pollution Control Board (PCB) officials to undertake environmental protection initiatives in Warangal district. She ordered the implementation of a plastic bottle collection drive as a pilot project and stated that a meeting with the Pollution Control Board regarding this matter would be held soon. Additionally, the Minister clarified that she is planning to formulate an action plan to completely eliminate single-use plastic within the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC) limits, in consultation with the Warangal Municipal Commissioner.
