DNA unearths four ‘godowns of death’ in the vicinity of AMC offices

AMC officials swing into action and raid the virus warehouses after DNA’s alert

DNA unraveled a network of ‘godowns of death’ that were injecting Gujarat with deadly hospital waste. Your paper accomplished in just a few hours what the AMC could not in three years. Three of the four godowns were operating from locations that are about 100 feet from the Health Muster Station of Naroda road ward

DNA EXPOSE

DNA has made the terrifying discovery that 300 tonnes of biomedical waste — which often carry viruses such as HIV and the hepatitis-B virus — are being pumped into Ahmedabad’s medical market from warehouses that are in the vicinity of AMC offices.

Enormous caches of biomedical waste, which government rules expressly forbid from recycling, were recovered from four godowns in Asarwa, on Friday, after DNA alerted the authorities.

Remarkably, the waste was being peddled from godowns that share the neighbourhood with the sub-zonal office of the north zone of the AMC. More disturbing, New Ambica Scrap Traders, Dhanlakshmi Scrap Traders in Anmol Estate, and another godown, were dealing in dangerous scrap from locations that are about 100 feet from the Health Muster Station of Naroda road ward. Yet, the AMC health department had not noticed these ‘godowns of death’ for as many as three years.

But after receiving DNA’s alert, the health department locked the godowns in the area. Police complaints will be filed on Saturday against the offenders. Sources in the AMC, who are aware of the scrap business in Ahmedabad, privately admit that many more godowns in the city might be recycling medical waste.

After the raids on Friday, the deputy health officer of the north zone of the AMC, Dr Manish Fenci, said, “Thanks to the information provided by DNA about the four godowns, we have been able to unearth the network that sells these hazardous products.”

AMC health department officials raided one of the godowns of Dhanlakshmi Scrap Traders, located near the Chamunda bridge on the Omnagar road in the Naroda road zone. As the department had no information about the owner, it decided to break the lock of the godown on the basis of the information provided by DNA.

Some time later, the owner of the property, Bhudhalal Kumavat, appeared on the scene from nowhere. By that time, more than 15 to 20 tonnes of biomedical waste, including used needles, syringes and bottles, had been recovered from the godown.

Kumavat said he had purchased the material from local vendors. “Most of the material was bought from Gulambhai of Modasa and Ravi Patni of Chamapura,” he said. “Patni provides around 100 kilos of material every week.”

Kumavat’s plastic grinding factory, located under the Chamunda bridge, was sealed on Thursday. It should also be noted that Kumavat has a licence from the Shops and Establishment Department of the AMC under Gumasta Dhara. However, in the document, the name of the proprietor appears as Patel Omprakash Andaram.

Kumavat’s plastic grinding factory, located under the Chamunda bridge, was sealed on Thursday. It should also be noted that Kumavat has a licence from the Shops and Establishment Department of the AMC under Gumasta Dhara. However, in the document, the name of the proprietor appears as Patel Omprakash Andaram.

Another godown targeted in the raids is located near a church in Asarwa. This property’s four huge halls were found crammed with medicine bottles. Investigations have revealed that the owner of the property, Shankarlal Sharma, whose business is called Ambica Trading Company, used to sell the material to various companies in Ahmedabad, Khoda, Udaipur, Bhilwada, Vadhavan, and other places. Sharma told DNA, “I have been in this business for the past 30 years.” Sharma’s godown also contained cartons of products meant for supply to the government, the products coming from leading pharma companies. Sharma claimed only the cartons had been used earlier, and not the products, officials refused to believe him.

27 private clinics sealed in city

AMC health department officials on Friday raided and sealed as many as 27 private clinics in Rakhial, Rajpur, Amraiwadi, Bhaipura, Odhav, Vastral, Behrampura and Maninagar areas, besides four warehouses. On Thursday, the officials had sealed 15 clinics. Fourteen doctors who worked at the 27 clinics that were sealed had a degree in homeopathy but were practising allopathic medicine. Around 13 other doctors had no arrangements for disposal of biomedical waste. Four doctors in the AMC’s central zone have been served with notices. Besides this, factories in the city suspected of recycling medical waste are also being raided. 

How it should work

Black bags — For collecting harmless waste like food

Blue bags — For needles, syringes, broken glass, catheters, tubes, IV sets, drainage tubes.

Red bags — For glass, vials, blood, urine, stool, used test tubes, blood bags

Yellow bags — dressing material, plaster, human anatomical waste and discarded pills

Once the waste has been segregated in bags of different colours, it should be tightly sealed.

Those handling the waste are required to wear gloves

The waste in black and yellow bags has to be incinerated (burnt)

Red and blue bags are given to private firms which are required to dispose them as per the guidelines. (Source: Addl medical superintendent, Civil Hospital)

Jitendra Dave./ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication