Medical waste dumped on MKCG Medical College and Hospital campus. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, Nov. 27: Phailin has damaged the bio-medical waste disposal plant at MKCG Medical College and Hospital.

Sources said that Berhampur’s MKCG and City Hospital generated a lot of medical wastes, including bottles and syringes, cotton, bandage, dead foetus and severed human organs. All these are now buried under the earth, they said.

“Cyclone Phailin have damaged the chimney, incinerator, microwave and shredder of the plant. The entire process has come to a standstill,” said Ashok Kumar Behera, superintendent of MKCG.

He said that the 80ft chimney was damaged in the cyclone and the remaining 20ft was hanging precariously.

“Every month, two tonnes of medical wastes are being generated from 40 indoor and 40 outdoor wards of the MKCG Medical College and Hospital. Similarly, the Berhampur City Hospital, private nursing homes and diagnostic centres generate one tonne of medical waste every month. We were disposing of three tonnes of medical wastes every month. But since the October 12 cyclone, medical wastes are being buried in a 3ft deep ditch near the plant site on the MKCG campus. We are filling it up with disinfectants such as bleaching powder and salt,” said an employee of Lifeline Pharma, a private organisation in charge of the task.

“We collect these medical wastes from various points using specially designed buckets and carts,” he said.

The microwave machine used to dispose of bottles and syringes is lying defunct for a year now. They shredder, which was used as an alternative, has been damaged in the cyclone.

“However, the incinerator machine used to dispose of dead foetus and severed organs was in working condition till Phailin struck. We have invited tenders to upgrade the incinerator,” Behera said.

Regional officer, pollution control board, Berhampur, Prakash Kumar Mahapatra said the MKCG authority had sought his permission to bury medical wastes till the end of November. “They have assured me to restore the bio-medical waste disposal plant by the end of November,” he said.