THE DELHI Government will not allow even medical institutions functioning under the purview of agencies like MCD, NDMC and CGHS to stand in the way of evolving a centralised system for disposal of bio-medical waste for the city.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) has categorically stated that it is mandatory for all medical institutions, whether government or private, attending to more than 1000 patients per month, to register themselves with the DPCC.

It may be recalled that the DPCC had earlier set a deadline of June 30 for all medical institutions to seek authorisation from it for disposal of their bio-medical waste. However, the order evoked no reaction from government dispensaries of the NDMC, MCD and CGHS, even after the expiry of the deadline.

The order, coupled with strong public warnings issued by Delhi Urban Development and Environment Minister Dr A K Walia that raids will be carried out from July 1 onwards, had left most private medical institutions at the receiving end.

It was only after certain media reports highlighted the discrepancy that DPCC relaxed its deadline so that even government institutions could register themselves with it. However, this time DPCC has not fixed the last date but it is hopeful that the bulk of the registration process would be over by this month.

The registration is must, as only DPCC can authorise medical units to dispose off their bio-medical waste, an official said. However, it has still not been decided if the government-run medical institutions would prefer to dispose of waste on their own or would go in for a DPCC-appointed private operator.