Sept. 6: The first biomedical waste treatment and disposal plant is ready for operation, but a case pending with Gauhati High Court has pushed back its inauguration.

Since the high court is hearing a case on scientific disposal of bio-medical waste, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation has yet to complete the formalities for commissioning the plant, built by Econova Consultancy and Services Pvt Ltd near Amcheng at Sonapur.

Last week, the firm made a presentation before health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who reportedly expressed satisfaction over the project.

Vivek Sarma, the project coordinator, said the plant could become operational anytime but the legal hassles must be out of the way.

“The GMC is busy filing affidavits and producing other documents in court. We have requested the GMC to allow us to go ahead with the project,” he said.

The high court took up a suo motu case on the basis of a report published in The Telegraph on August 12, highlighting how private hospitals were flouting norms and the metro administration’s order to chalk out plans to scientifically destroy biomedical waste. The court asked government agencies to furnish relevant information on the issue.

An official said the court directed the GMC to ensure that hospitals disposed biomedical waste only at the Sonapur plant. “The corporation has written to all hospitals and sought their cooperation. We are awaiting their replies,” he said.