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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This...

Shinde dilutes demand

Likely to be content with Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai Mumbai: In a decisive shift that redraws the power dynamics of Maharashtra’s urban politics, the standoff over the prestigious Mumbai Mayor’s post has ended with a strategic compromise. Following days of resort politics and intense backroom negotiations, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has reportedly diluted its demand for the top job in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), settling instead for the Deputy Mayor’s post. This development, confirmed by high-ranking party insiders, follows the realization that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) effectively ceded its claims on the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) to protect the alliance, facilitating a “Mumbai for BJP, Kalyan for Shinde” power-sharing formula. The compromise marks a complete role reversal between the BJP and the Shiv Sena. Both the political parties were in alliance with each other for over 25 years before 2017 civic polls. Back then the BJP used to get the post of Deputy Mayor while the Shiv Sena always enjoyed the mayor’s position. In 2017 a surging BJP (82 seats) had paused its aggression to support the undivided Shiv Sena (84 seats), preferring to be out of power in the Corporation to keep the saffron alliance intact. Today, the numbers dictate a different reality. In the recently concluded elections BJP emerged as the single largest party in Mumbai with 89 seats, while the Shinde faction secured 29. Although the Shinde faction acted as the “kingmaker”—pushing the alliance past the majority mark of 114—the sheer numerical gap made their claim to the mayor’s post untenable in the long run. KDMC Factor The catalyst for this truce lies 40 kilometers north of Mumbai in Kalyan-Dombivali, a region considered the impregnable fortress of Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde. While the BJP performed exceptionally well in KDMC, winning 50 seats compared to the Shinde faction’s 53, the lotter for the reservation of mayor’s post in KDMC turned the tables decisively in favor of Shiv Sena there. In the lottery, the KDMC mayor’ post went to be reserved for the Scheduled Tribe candidate. The BJP doesn’t have any such candidate among elected corporatros in KDMC. This cleared the way for Shiv Sena. Also, the Shiv Sena tied hands with the MNS in the corporation effectively weakening the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s alliance with them. Party insiders suggest that once it became clear the BJP would not pursue the KDMC Mayor’s chair—effectively acknowledging it as Shinde’s fiefdom—he agreed to scale down his demands in the capital. “We have practically no hope of installing a BJP Mayor in Kalyan-Dombivali without shattering the alliance locally,” a Mumbai BJP secretary admitted and added, “Letting the KDMC become Shinde’s home turf is the price for securing the Mumbai Mayor’s bungalow for a BJP corporator for the first time in history.” The formal elections for the Mayoral posts are scheduled for later this month. While the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—led by the Shiv Sena (UBT)—has vowed to field candidates, the arithmetic heavily favors the ruling alliance. For Eknath Shinde, accepting the Deputy Mayor’s post in Mumbai is a tactical retreat. It allows him to consolidate his power in the MMR belt (Thane and Kalyan) while remaining a partner in Mumbai’s governance. For the BJP, this is a crowning moment; after playing second fiddle in the BMC for decades, they are poised to finally install their own “First Citizen” of Mumbai.

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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