The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal that it will take action against states and Union territories not complying with some rules for disposal of biomedical waste.
The green body is hearing a matter regarding violations in the handling, treatment and disposal of biomedical waste by treatment facilities.
In an order dated August 5, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member Afroz Ahmad noted that CPCB had filed a report (dated August 5) regarding the "deep burial" of biomedical waste which was practised across 17 states and Union territories in the country.
Deep burial remains a limited disposal method under the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, permissible only in rural or remote regions where a Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility is unavailable. Such practice requires prior approval of the prescribed state authority.
The tribunal noted that out of 9,178 Healthcare Facilities (HCFs) using deep burial, only 5,715 were compliant with standard provisions, with the most frequent violations including failure to maintain a minimum groundwater table level of six metres below the burial pit (477 HCFs non-compliant) and operating without proper authorisation from prescribed authorities (341 HCFs).
It noted that the report showed significant gaps in compliance across various parameters by the states and UT's concerned. For instance, in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, all 111 and 33 HCFs, respectively, were found non-compliant.
The tribunal said, "Counsel appearing for the CPCB has informed that presently the communications have been sent to the concerned State Pollution Control Boards (PCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) of the violating states and UTs and, if the compliance is not done within eight weeks, then the directions under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 will be issued." The provision grants the Centre enforcement powers to issue binding directives, including to regulate or shut down industrial operations and terminate utility services.
In its order, the tribunal directed the CPCB to file a further progress report at least one week before the next date of hearing on October 28, 2026.
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