For citizens’ sake, PMC moves High Court

PUNE, May 12: In an unprecedented decision, the Pune Municipal Corporation on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court dema...

PUNE, May 12: In an unprecedented decision, the Pune Municipal Corporation on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court demanding that it should be allowed to entrust the investigation of the sale and purchase of hospital waste to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The petition seeks to make as respondents: the State of Maharashtra, Commissioner of Police, police inspector of Deccan Gymkhana police station, police sub inspector Ravindra Pisal and Joshi hospital, run by the Maharashtra Medical Foundation and Sayanna Dhangar, the sweeper with the Joshi Hospital.

The PMC through the petition has urged the high court that the entire investigation of the case involving unlawful sale of used bio-medical waste like needles, syringes, scalpels, surgical gloves and the persons involved, should be handed over to the CBI.

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A PMC spokesman told media persons on Tuesday that the petition had been filed to avoid a possible delay in the investigation and also to prevent any danger to citizens’ lives by the use of recycled medical equipments.

It may be recalled that PMC had confiscated seven bags of used saline bottles/sets and syringes from the house of Sayanna Dhangar, a sweeper with the Joshi hospital when they raided his residence on May 5. The PMC had also filed a complaint against the hospital and Dhangar at Deccan Gymkhana police station. The complaint was based on the government resolution of July 20, 1988 which made it mandatory for all hospitals to destroy their waste.

While the police have filed an offence against Joshi hospital and Dhangar, the case took curious turn when sanitary inspector Tade alleged that PSI Pisal had threatened him to withdraw the complaint or face the consequences. Tade subsequently filed a complaint against Pisal at Sahakarnagar police station.

Police is yet to initiate any action against PSI Pisal who had proceeded on leave the day after incident took place. It is for the first time that the PMC has filed a writ petition against the State Government and other government officials.