Status Report on Impact of Lockdown on Air Quality and Status of Bio-Medical Waste Management in relation to Covid-19 in Sikkim

Issued on June 12, 2020

Source: State Pollution Control Board Sikkim

(Picture: Incineration of Bio-Medical Waste at District Hospital, Singtam)

The State Pollution Control Board has been designated as an essential health service as per the order dated 21/04/2020 of the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal in the matter of O.A. No. 72/2020 Scientific Disposal Bio-Medical Waste (BMW) arising out of COVID-19 treatment – Compliance of BWM Rules, 2016. Therefore the SPCB-Sikkim has been vested with the duties of monitoring of compliance of the Guidelines for handling, treatment & disposal of waste generated during treatment/diagnosis/quarantine of COVID-19 patients prepared by the Central Pollution Control Board. Accordingly, the Board has directed all the healthcare facilities that the Guidelines for handling, treatment & disposal of waste generated during treatment/diagnosis/quarantine of COVID-19 patients be strictly implemented to ensure that the outbreak does not spread due to improper disposal of contaminated   waste generated from quarantine or isolation centres. The guidelines further specify establishment /operation of COVID-19 sample collection & testing laboratories and the same should be informed to the SPCB/PCC of the state.

The Government of Sikkim had imposed lockdown in the state from 1st week of March, 2020 before the Central Government on 25/03/2020. This pre-emptive step resulted in the state being free of any COVID19 cases for almost a period of 2 months. The Government of Sikkim then took a massive undertaking to bring back all the citizens of the state stranded in various other parts of the country. However, the safety precautions were not laxed at any point of time. All returnees are to undergo 14 days of institutional quarantine and 14 days of home quarantine (a total of 28 days) to ensure controlled monitoring in case symptoms develop. All returnees who are undergoing institutional quarantine are also tested once. The State Government is taking meticulous and elaborate steps through the SPCB-Sikkim, Health and Family Welfare Department, District Administration & Urban Local Bodies to ensure the waste generated from isolation facility and quarantine centres is scientifically collected, treated and disposed to avoid spreading of COVID19 through contaminated waste.

» Click here to Read the complete Report on amount of waste generated from covid-19 isolation wards, quarantine centers and AQI of major towns during last three months