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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several...

‘Bharat Ratna to Savarkar will increase its prestige’

Mumbai: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Sarsanghachalak Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday threw his full weight behind the long-standing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, asserting that the Hindutva ideologue’s inclusion would enhance the dignity of the country’s highest civilian honour. Bhagwat, who explained the genesis and growth of the RSS over past 100 years in two lectures at the Nehru Centre here on Saturday and Sunday, replied to several questions. While replying to one of the questions, he remarked, “If Swatantraveer Savarkar is given the Bharat Ratna, the prestige of the Bharat Ratna itself will increase.” He was asked, why there has been a delay in conferring the Bharat Ratna on Savarkar, in reply to which, Bhagwat said, “I am not part of that committee. But if I meet someone, I will ask. Even without that honour, he rules the hearts of millions of people.” he added. Social Divisions Bhagwat replied to questions that were clubbed in 14 different groups ranging from national security to environment, social harmony, youth, arts and sports. Whenever the questions suggested or expressed expectations that the RSS should do certain things, Bhagwat stressed on the involvement of the society and initiative from the society in resolving the problems. While addressing the critical issue of Uniform Civil Code, Bhagwat stated that the UCC should be framed by taking everyone into confidence and must not lead to social divisions. In the same way while replying to the question related to illegal migrants in the country, Bhagwat urged people to “detect and report” the “illegal infiltrators” to the police. He also urged people not to give them any employment and to be more “vigilant.” Backing SIR He highlighted that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise has already revealed the “foreigners” living in the country. “The government has a lot to do regarding infiltration. They have to detect and deport. This wasn’t happening until now, but it has started little by little, and it will gradually increase. When the census or the SIR is conducted, many people come to light who are not citizens of this country; they are automatically excluded from the process,” he said. “But we can do one thing: we can work on detection. Their language gives them away. We should detect them and report them to the appropriate authorities. We should inform the police that we suspect these people are foreigners, and they should investigate and keep an eye on them, and we will also keep an eye on them. We will not give employment to any foreigner. If someone is from our country, we will give them employment, but not to foreigners. You should be a little more vigilant and aware,” he added. SC Chief Emphasising the inclusivity of the Sangh, he said that anyone can become ‘Sarsanghchalak’ (RSS chief), including the SC and STs, as the decision is solely dependent on the work that any individual put for the organisation. “Kshatriya, Vaishya, Shudra or Brahmin does not qualify for the Sarsanghchalak position (RSS Chief), a Hindu will become the one who works and is best available. A Hindu will become, and that can also be an SC or ST. Anyone can become it depends on the work. Today, if you see, all classes have representation in the Sangh. The decision is taken on the basis of one who works and is best available,” he said. He pointed out that when the RSS was founded, its work began in a Brahmin-dominated community and hence, most of its founders were Brahmins, which led to the organisation being labelled as a Brahmin outfit at the time. People always look for an organisation that has representatives from their community, he said. “If I were to choose a chief, I would go by the ‘best available candidate’ criterion. When I was appointed RSS chief, there were many best candidates, but they were not available. I was the one who could be relieved from duties and appointed,” he said. He said that to belong to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe communities is not a disqualification, and neither is being a Brahmin a qualification to become the RSS chief. Ready to step down if Sangh asks for Dr. Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said the Sangh had asked him to continue working despite his age, while stressing that he would step down from the post whenever the organisation directs him to do so. “There is no election to the post of RSS chief. Regional and divisional heads appoint the chief. Generally, it is said that after turning 75, one should work without holding any post,” Bhagwat said. “I have completed 75 years and informed the RSS, but the organisation asked me to continue working. Whenever the RSS asks me to step down, I will do so, but retirement from work will never happen,” he said.

Daily Record, Monthly Report: Bio-Waste Rules Enforced

Proper handling, segregation, and disposal of biomedical waste is now a strict facility-level responsibility.

The Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, marked a significant shift in India’s approach to handling medical waste—simplifying classifications, expanding coverage, and aiming for greater compliance across the board. In my previous article, I outlined the evolution of these rules and the rationale behind the 2016 overhaul. Today, I will delve into their actual scope and applicability. From hospitals and clinics to health camps and school infirmaries, the rules apply to a wide array of institutions involved in the generation or handling of biomedical waste. Let’s take a closer look at who these rules apply to, what types of waste are excluded, and the detailed responsibilities of key players, especially the “occupier,” who plays a central role in ensuring that biomedical waste is managed safely and responsibly.


According to the notification, the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, apply to all individuals and entities involved in any aspect of handling biomedical waste. This includes those who generate, collect, receive, store, transport, treat, dispose of, or manage such waste in any form. The rules cover a wide range of establishments, such as:

· Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and dispensaries

· Veterinary institutions and animal houses

· Pathological laboratories and blood banks

· AYUSH hospitals and other clinical establishments

· Research and educational institutions

· Health camps, medical or surgical camps, and vaccination camps

· Blood donation camps and first aid rooms in schools

· Forensic laboratories and research labs


However, these rules shall not apply to radioactive wastes, hazardous chemicals, municipal solid wastes, lead-acid battery waste, hazardous wastes, electronic and electrical waste, hazardous microorganisms, genetically engineered microorganisms, etc. In these rules, the responsibilities of the concerned authorised persons, namely an “Occupier” and an “Operator,” have been specified.


(a) Occupier: The occupier is a person who has control over an institution generating biomedical waste, such as a hospital, nursing home, clinic, or laboratory, and has overall administrative control to ensure the proper handling, segregation, storage, and disposal of biomedical waste generated within their facility. They must take all necessary steps to prevent adverse effects on human health and the environment. The following are the major responsibilities of the occupier:


1. Provide a safe, ventilated, and secured location for storing segregated biomedical waste in coloured bags or containers within the premises, as specified in these rules.


2. Ensure that there is no secondary handling, pilferage of recyclables, or inadvertent scattering or spillage by animals, and that the biomedical waste from such place or premises shall be directly transported in the manner as

prescribed in these rules to the common treatment facility.


3. Ensure that the laboratory waste, microbiological waste, blood samples, and blood bags are pre-treated on-site through disinfection or sterilisation in the manner as prescribed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) or National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) guidelines before sending it to a common treatment facility for final disposal.


4. Ensure that the solid waste, other than biomedical waste, is disposed of following the provisions of the respective waste management rules made under the relevant laws and amended from time to time, and do not mix treated biomedical waste with municipal solid waste.


5. Provide on-site training regarding handling and segregation of waste to all its healthcare workers and others involved in handling of biomedical waste at the time of induction and thereafter at least once every year, and the details of training programmes conducted, number of personnel trained, and number of personnel who have not undergone any training shall be provided in the Annual Report.


6. Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to health care workers and others involved in handling biomedical waste.


7. Arrange for a health check-up at the time of induction and at least once a year for all its health care workers and others involved in handling biomedical waste, and maintain the records for the same.


8. Maintain and update the biomedical waste management register daily. Display the monthly record on the website as per the prescribed categories and colour codes in the biomedical waste management rules.


Stay tuned for the next part, where I’ll cover the remaining aspects. Have a wonderful weekend!

(The writer is an environmentalist.)

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