Mountain Of Covid Waste Raises Alarm

Haphazard disposal of PPE suits, gloves and masks discarded at hospitals, homes & crematoriums adds to Delhi’s ‘viral’ load

- Ankit Tyagi and Ajay Kumar

DELHI LEAVES MUMBAI BEHIND

3,788 NEW CASES IN DELHI, TOTAL 70,390

64 MORE DEATHS, TOLL MOUNTS TO 2,365

15,968 NEW CASES IN INDIA, TOTAL 4,56,183

465 MORE DEATHS, TOLL MOUNTS TO 14,476

CAPITAL SETS CORONA RESPONSE TIMELINE

Re-mapping of all hotspots to be over by June 26, screening of every house in these zones by June 30.

Screening of all houses across Delhi to be completed by July 6.

Survey results on the overall virus spread in the city by July 10.

Centre has extended deadline for filing Income-Tax returns for FY 2019-20 to Nov 30, 2020

PERSONAL Protection Equipment (PPE) like body suits, face masks, hand gloves and shoe covers have played a crucial role in battling the raging coronavirus pandemic in the Capital.

But an apparent failure on the part of authorities in planning and ensuring proper, post-use disposal of these highly infectious items has triggered a parallel crisis.

Coming in bulk from hospitals, labs, homes, hotels and other facilities (where thousands are in quarantine), besides crematoriums and burial grounds, bio-medical waste is piling up in the city.

A Mail Today reality check found that much of it is being dangerously dumped in landfills as incineration plants have begun to run out of capacity.