Hyderabad: GHMC Commissioner R.V. Karnan directed officials to ensure e-waste and bio-medical waste collection reaches 100 percent across Greater Hyderabad. He also warned that bio-medical waste must never mix with municipal solid waste.
He gave these instructions during a stakeholder meeting at the GHMC head office. The meeting formed part of the ongoing 99-Day Action Plan that aims to strengthen scientific waste management. It brought together e-waste recyclers, bio-medical waste treatment operators and CSR partners.
Karnan warned that authorities will take strict action against firms that fail to collect or dispose of bio-medical waste according to regulations. He clearly stated that the administration will not tolerate negligence in handling medical waste.
The commissioner also asked officials to coordinate with Assistant Medical Officers of Health (AMOHs). Through this coordination, hospitals and healthcare establishments must follow bio-medical waste management rules. He further urged all stakeholders to support environmental sustainability and city cleanliness.
New measures to strengthen e-waste bio-medical waste collection
During the meeting, officials discussed several steps to improve e-waste and bio-medical waste collection across GHMC, Malkajgiri Municipal Corporation (MMC) and CMC jurisdictions.
MMC Commissioner T. Vinay Krishna Reddy announced that authorities will set up special collection centres in every circle. These centres aim to encourage citizens to voluntarily deposit e-waste. In addition, teams will conduct ward-level collection drives every Saturday and Sunday across 300 wards within CURE limits.
He also advised participating organisations to adopt specific circles and wards. These organisations can deploy representatives at collection points to guide citizens. Moreover, companies can offer incentives such as coupons or direct payments to motivate residents to hand over electronic waste.
GHMC Additional Commissioner (Sanitation) Ravi Kiran explained that the municipal body will provide infrastructure for the drives. This support will include ward offices and designated collection centres. However, participating firms will decide pricing, payments and incentive structures.
During the meeting, several organisations agreed to offer payments through UPI or cash for collected e-waste. Others proposed distributing redeemable coupons under corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Officials also encouraged retailers to share information about households that store e-waste. With such information, teams can organise coordinated doorstep collection drives.
GHMC Additional Commissioner (Health) Priyanka Ala attended the meeting along with Additional Commissioners (Sanitation) Ravi Kiran and Raghu Prasad. Telangana Pollution Control Board SE Srujana Sri and representatives of e-waste recycling firms and bio-medical waste handling agencies also participated.
