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Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Build ‘model schools’ from PM CARES fund: CJP

Mumbai: In an unexpected surgical strike, the Cockroach Janta Party has questioned why a massive corpus of thousands of crores of rupees, lying in the Prime Minister CARES Fund, is kept idle when there are dire needs for funds in various sectors, particularly government schools – kicking off a new political storm – on Wednesday. CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke today directly asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on what he termed as “so much of public money lying untouched and unutilised” in the PMCF...

Build ‘model schools’ from PM CARES fund: CJP

Mumbai: In an unexpected surgical strike, the Cockroach Janta Party has questioned why a massive corpus of thousands of crores of rupees, lying in the Prime Minister CARES Fund, is kept idle when there are dire needs for funds in various sectors, particularly government schools – kicking off a new political storm – on Wednesday. CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke today directly asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on what he termed as “so much of public money lying untouched and unutilised” in the PMCF while state-run schools across the country continue to struggle for even basic infrastructure. Dipke said an amount of nearly Rs 8,500-cr shown in the PMCF as of March 2025 and demanded why this money could not be deployed for public education and other critical needs. He pointed at how schoolchildren in several parts of India continue to face shortages of drinking water, proper roads and even benches to sit on in classrooms, during his recent visits to some such government schools. “On one hand, Rs. 8,500-cr is lying unutilised, while on the other, children across the country have to demand proper roads, drinking water, benches and other basic infrastructure in schools. Instead this money could be diverted to setting up ‘Model Schools’ which could benefit the students and the society. Dipke contended that if a well-equipped ‘model school’ costs around Rs. 8-cr, the government could build more than 1000 such modern educational institutions with the idling PMCF corpus alone. Endorsing the views, the CJP posted: “So much of the public’s money is lying untouched and unaccounted for in a ‘Private Fund’ called the PM CARES Fund. Public schools cite a lack of funds for their poor condition, yet more than Rs. 8,450- cr. remains unused. If it is the people’s money, why can’t it be used to build and repair schools? Lack of funds was never the problem. Lack of intent is.” The CJP chief emphasised that since the money has come from the people it should ultimately serve the public causes, particularly for the education of the underprivileged children in far flung areas. Dipke’s statement came a day after the PMCF released its audited balance sheets which provided a new round of ammunition even to the Opposition, reviving questions that have shrouded the fund since its creation in March 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdowns. Interestingly, the PMCF balance sheet came days after a CJP leader had claimed in a press conference in New Delhi that the Jantar Mantar 28-day long agitation was allegedly financed from this fund. The PMCF gets no direct budgetary allocation and is funded through voluntary donations, and it is exempted under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FRCA) for which it maintains a separate account to receive overseas donations. Opposition piles on The Congress sought a comprehensive inquiry into the PMCF and alleged a possible nexus between corporate donations to it and awarding of plum government contracts awarded to some of the donor companies. AICC Scheduled Castes Department President and Uttar Pradesh In-Charge Rajendra Pal Gautam also questioned the “very need” for setting up the PMCF when the PM’s National Relief Fund was already operational since Jan. 1948. All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MP Mahua Moitra picked purported flaws in the PMCF balance sheet released: “PM Doesn’t Care. R. 8,452-cr. lying unspent. Balance sheet is UNSIGNED. Some KKC Associates auditors with Gujarati partners Shah & Parekh have not even bothered with signatures, tracking or notes. Outside CAG, RTI or Parliaments scrutiny.” 'Still in the 60s': Dipke claims broken toilet doors, missing taps at Hingoli school Hingoli: Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke said a government school in Maharashtra's Hingoli district appeared to be stuck in the 1960s after he found broken toilet and classroom doors and missing taps in the washrooms. Dipke, whose group launched the 'School Thik Karo' (improve government schools) campaign last week, visited the school at Kadoli village in his native district on Tuesday. He went to the premises around 7.30 pm, after school hours, and checked the campus. A video of his visit to the school and subsequent interaction with the villagers has surfaced on social media. "It felt as if I was visiting a school in the 1960s. An old tin-roofed toilet, broken doors and no taps in the washrooms. What to do with these washrooms? Those concerned did not do their duty (in maintaining the school premises)," he said. He also had a word of criticism for the local residents. "The villagers are also wrong because they kept quiet," he said.

From Pickup to Protocols: The Operator’s Critical Role in Public Health

From installing incinerators to logging every gram of waste, the Operator stands between public health and potential harm.

In the previous article, we examined the crucial duties of the biomedical waste Operator, including timely waste collection, worker training, and coordination with the Occupier. This week, we delve deeper into the Operator’s responsibilities—specifically those related to infrastructure, technology, record-keeping, and compliance. These additional duties ensure that biomedical waste is not only collected and transported safely but also treated, disposed of, and monitored in accordance with national standards. As we continue to explore the backbone of India’s biomedical waste management system, we also touch upon the role of the Prescribed Authority, the regulatory body tasked with ensuring implementation and oversight.


Duties of the operator:

Every operator of a common biomedical waste treatment facility shall set up requisite biomedical waste treatment equipment, like an incinerator, autoclave, or microwave, shredder, and effluent treatment plant as a part of treatment before commencement of its operation. Over the years, if an operator intends to use new technologies for the treatment of biomedical waste other than those listed here, they shall request the Central Government to lay down the standards or operating parameters.


After the plastic waste is completely sterilised by autoclaving or microwaving, followed by mutilation or shredding, whichever is applicable, it is to be given to recyclers having valid consent or authorisation, or registration from the respective State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee. The operator should arrange to supply non-chlorinated plastic coloured bags to the occupier on a chargeable basis, if required.


A common biomedical waste treatment facility shall ensure the collection of biomedical waste on holidays as well.


Maintain all records for operation of incineration, hydroclave, or autoclaving for a period of five years.


Upgrade existing incinerators to achieve the standards for retention time in the secondary chamber and dioxins and furans within two years from the date of this notification.


The operator must report major accidents like fire hazards and blasts during handling of biomedical waste, and the remedial action taken and the records relevant thereto (including nil report) in Form I to the prescribed authority, and also along with the annual report.


Maintain a logbook for each of its treatment equipment according to the weight of the batch, categories of waste treated, time, date, duration of treatment cycle, and total hours of operation.


An occupier has a right to visit the common facility to ensure that the treatment is being carried out following the norms. The operator must cooperate in such cases.


The operator shall display details of authorisation, treatment, annual report, etc., on its website.


The prescribed authority:

State Pollution Control Boards in respect of states and the Pollution Control Committees in respect of union territories are the prescribed authority for implementing the provisions of these rules in respect of all health care establishments, including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, blood banks, etc. However, the Director General, Armed Forces Medical Services, will function as the prescribed authority of all such establishments belonging to the Armed Forces under the Ministry of Defence. The prescribed authorities shall comply with the responsibilities as stipulated in these rules. These authorities are also responsible for providing authorisation in the prescribed format to the occupiers as well as to the operators. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF & CC) shall review the implementation of the rules in the country once a year through the State Health Secretaries and Chairmen or Member Secretaries of State Pollution Control Boards and the Central Pollution Control Board. The Ministry may also invite experts in the field of biomedical waste management if required.


In conclusion, the Operator’s role extends far beyond waste collection—it encompasses infrastructure setup, technological upgrades, safety protocols, and transparent reporting. Alongside the Occupier and under the watchful eye of the prescribed authority, the Operator plays a critical part in safeguarding public health and the environment.


(The author is an environmentalist.)

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