Siliguri: With mounds of biomedical waste piling up at the premises of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, cows have become regular guests, feasting on the garbage. Animal-loving voluntary organisations have expressed their concern and alleged of negligence against the health department authorities.
Animal lovers said consuming indigestible inorganic materials not only causes death but diseases can also spread those these animals. They have demanded immediate action in this regard.
Both the Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the sub-district council have extended a helping hand to clean the biomedical waste of the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. The waste from the hospital is collected and sent to a factory in the Fulbari area adjacent to Siliguri for disposal three days a week. This apart, a few places have been designated for biomedical waste disposal.
Despite this, wastes are dumped in many places in the hospital campus. Stray cows move through the garbage in search food and bite the plastic covers hoping to find vegetable peels. In the past, cattle have died here after eating toxic waste.
Earlier, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation had conducted a drive to clean the biomedical waste from the hospital premises and had sent a bill amounting to Rs 19 lakh to the health department.
Kaustav Chowdhury, editor of Saltari Nature and Animal Protection, said, "This biomedical waste is very toxic and if cattle eat this, it will cause food poisoning that may lead to death. Also, if such cattle come into contact with humans they will spread diseases. So, authorities should take immediate action to address the problem."
Diptjyoti Chakraborty, editor of Siliguri Ophthalmological Society, said, "It is a terrible to see cattle lumbering through the mounds of biomedical waste. Nothing can be more dangerous and unfortunate. Authorities should immediately remove the waste or make arrangements so that animals cannot go near it."
Dr Sanjay Mallick, medical superintendent cum vice principal (MSVP) of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital, said, "It is true that biomedical waste has accumulated here but arrangements are being made to remove it quickly. It is also correct that many cows have died in the past after consuming this waste."
Dr Mallick said that people from the surrounding villages have been informed not to let their cattle loose. "The hospital campus is huge and there are gaps in the boundary wall at several places, through which cows are entering. The PWD has been asked to barricade all these places with nets so that animals cannot enter," he added.
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