Jharkhand High Court Directs Strict Biomedical Waste Management

The Jharkhand High Court has instructed the state to appoint a nodal officer for overseeing hospital waste management. The court also mandated a list of authorized waste treatment plants and emphasized penalties for non-compliance, following a PIL highlighting improper biomedical waste disposal across several cities.

The Jharkhand High Court has issued a directive to the state government to assign a secretary-level nodal officer to supervise health institutions for effective biomedical waste disposal.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice MS Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar delivered this verdict in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) concerning improper biomedical waste disposal practices.

The court stressed the fundamental right of citizens to pollution-free resources, cautioning that violations will result in severe consequences. Hospitals with over 30 beds are now required to establish Biomedical Waste Management Committees for oversight.