nagpur another goofup by nagpur municipal corporation nmc at bhandewadi area has come to the fore the maharashtra pollution control board mpcb has slammed the corporation for disposing dead animals in an unscientific and illegal manner and violating rules of ministry of environment and forest moef thus causing environmental damage and health hazards the visit report of board officials stated various discrepancies including improper burying of dead animals according to moefs biomedical waste management and handling rules 1998 specific standards for deep burial have been laid which the board found were not being followed by nmc as per the norms it is mandatory to ensure that animals do not have any access to burial sites and covers of galvanized iron or wire melshes must be used but nmc failed to take such measures at bhandewadi which was originally proposed as an animal cremation ground is now being used for running a temporary animal shelter an rti query sought by activist ankita shah revealed that nmc has no cremation grounds for animals in the entire city in its reply nmc admitted that the land in bhandewadi was proposed for a cremation ground but the civic body has no authorization from mpcb for occupying the area as cremation ground during their visit the board officials further found noncompliances regarding disposal of biomedcial waste which includes animal wastes needles syringes scalpels blades glass and other solid waste also nmc failed to obtain biomedical waste authorization despite the board issuing three letters to the health officer sources from the board informed that nmcs reply was not satisfactory and suitable legal action will be taken against it under the environment protection act 1986 subregional officer of mpcb nagpur hema deshpande said that the matter has been transferred to the regional officer after visiting the area we found out that there was no demarcation and sufficient distance between the shelter and crematorium the animals living in the shelter have easy access to the cremation ground and stray dogs were also found in landfill site area the corporation has everything at one place crematorium slaughterhouse animal shelter and dumpyard which is in noncompliance of the environmental rules she said she added that carcasses of slaughtered animals were also not discarded as per the rules and regulations toi had recently reported that nmc is engaged in largescale dumping of stray and pet dogs at the garbage dumpyard and slaughter house the dogs can be seen littering around and feeding on the garbage dump and animal carcassesinfographics discrepancies found by mpcb animal shelter running in the land which was originally proposed as a cremation ground for animals unscientific and illegal disposal of dead animals on the premises no demarcation between crematorium and animal shelter nmc has not obtained biomedical waste authorization