Telangana Government sanctions Rs 134.46 cr to set up STPs at 20 government hospitals

Hyderabad: To establish biomedical waste management practices, the Telangana government on Friday sanctioned Rs 134.46 crore to construct Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in 20 government hospitals.

Out of the sanctioned amount, a total of Rs 52.59 crore will be contributed by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPSCB), as their capital cost for constructing 20 STPs, stated the Government Order (GO Ms No 73) released on July 5 by Health Secretary, SAM Rizvi.

As per the GO, the STP construction works will be taken up by the Telangana State Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation (TSMSIDC) under Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) including operation and management for 10 years.

"To ensure that all the bio-medical waste from government hospitals are treated in STPs before letting them out, the government has decided to construct 20 STPs across the State. This is a significant move aimed at adopting best biomedical waste management practices in government hospitals," said Health Minister, T Harish Rao.

Moreover, the State Health Department will also provide a pre-treatment facility for laboratory, operation theatre and laundry washings before letting into STP.

Health Department officials said that these STPs will also meet the outlet discharge standards as per the Biomedical Waste Rules, 2016 and its amendments. The government hospitals providing services to more than 1,000 patients per month will be required to obtain authorisation and segregate biomedical waste based on the Biomedical Waste Rule, 2016.

Following which health officials have also urged private hospitals in the city that currently do not have a proper bio-medical waste disposal system, to construct STPs within their hospital premises.

The following 20 Government hospitals are:

Gandhi Hospital, Osmania General Hospital, Niloufer Hospital, MNJ Cancer Hospital, Medical college in Siddipet, Mahabubnagar, Siddipet, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Sangareddy, Wanaparthy, Mancherial, Mahabubabad, Jagtiyal, Ramagundam, Bhadradri Kothagudem, Nagarkurnool, District Hospitals of Khammam and Karimnagar, RIMS Hospital, Adilabad.