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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.

How Hospitals Safely Handle Biomedical Waste

Biomedical waste handling is now hi-tech, with the MPCB pioneering real-time tracking of over 140 GPS-fitted trucks across the state from its control centre.

In my previous article, we discussed how hospitals must segregate waste according to the prescribed colour-coding system to ensure safe disposal. Building on that, the next step is its transportation to a common treatment facility for further processing and final safe disposal. Before this can take place, the waste must be stored temporarily within the hospital. Hospitals generally have a designated central waste-collection room located within their premises. This room should be away from public or visitor access.


A water supply should be available adjacent to the central waste-storage area to allow for cleaning and washing of the room and its containers. Drainage from the storage and washing area must be directed to the Effluent Treatment Plant. Signage displaying relevant details—such as the emergency contact number, the name of the person in charge, and a biohazard logo—should be clearly posted. No general waste should be stored in this room, and access must be restricted to authorised personnel only.


Biomedical waste generated in wards, laboratories, operating theatres, and other areas should be transported to the central storage room in covered trolleys or carts. These should travel along a route isolated from public areas. This ensures that patients and visitors are not exposed to the waste. The trolleys or carts should be dedicated solely to biomedical waste collection. Patient trolleys must not be used.


The operator of a common facility for the treatment of waste is responsible for transporting the waste collected in the hospital’s central storage. The most commonly used vehicles are four-wheeler tempo trucks. These must be modified according to specifications from the state pollution control boards under the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988. The vehicles must be covered, have proper labelling, and display biohazard logos on all sides to show that infectious biomedical waste is being transported. Sometimes, the vehicle may need refrigeration if the ambient temperature is high, and the waste has to travel a long distance. The Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules (BMW Rules) mandate the use of GPS for tracking vehicles transporting biomedical waste. A tracking system has multiple benefits, such as:


Monitoring and control: GPS allows authorities to monitor vehicle movements in real-time and calculate the number of trips made by vehicles from the pickup source to the common facility.


Accountability and transparency: GPS tracking provides a record of vehicle routes and disposal locations, increasing accountability and transparency in the waste management process.


Preventing environmental and health hazards: By ensuring proper waste disposal, GPS tracking helps mitigate the risks of environmental contamination and public health issues associated with improper biomedical waste management.


The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) was among the first to implement this. It is monitoring the movements of more than 140 trucks online from a control centre through such GPS devices.


Now, what happens to the waste after it reaches the common facility? Please hold on until next Saturday.


Until then, have a good weekend!


(The writer is an environmentalist.)

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