Nine godowns located in three different parts of the city were sealed after a team led by Municipal Commissioner Dinesh Brahmbhatt found them stocked with biomedical waste. He said the matter will be investigated to find out the source as well as the destination of the hazardous waste.

The health and solid waste management staff found used syringes, needles, bottles, tubes, injections and plastic items during the raid. The teams also found an RMC safai worker with ward number 6, Kamla Solanki, ferrying bio-medical waste. She was suspended.

“It’s shocking that the waste has not been properly handled at the source,” Brahmbhatt said. The RMC has slapped fines to the tune of Rs 10,000 on each of the godown owners, while bringing the matter to the notice of the pollution control department. “A case under Environmental Protection Act will be registered against the owners,” said S M Jhala, Pollution Control Officer, Rajkot.

Brahmbhatt expressed a strong possibility of the waste being recycled, and said only 30 per cent of the bio-medical waste in Rajkot is being properly disposed of. “We need to find out what is happening to the rest of 70 per cent waste,” he said, adding, “Hospitals and doctors are equally responsible, as we have initiated action against them as well.”

Brahmbhatt said the drive not only revealed the potential danger to health services in the city, but also put a big question mark on the working conditions of the workers employed by these godowns. According to an estimate, there are 25 such godowns operating in Rajkot, each with a workforce of about 20.