clean & hygiene review

Mar-Apr ’122

The challenge of safe disposal of bio-medical waste is a huge one in India. The unsafe handing and/or callous disposal of bio-medical waste could pave the way for the spread of several diseases, which could be often of lethal nature. But sadly, unhealthy scenarios of strewn bio-medical waste lying here and there are very much prevalent in our country.

The physico-chemical and biological nature of bio-medical waste, their potential toxicity and hazard elements are different from your regular waste, which makes it necessary to adopt different methods or options for their treatment / disposal. We have comprehensive laws for safe handling, management and disposal of bio-medical waste, but open flouting of rules pertaining to handling and disposal of bio-medical waste seems to be the norm in our plethora of hospitals, nursing homes and clinics, whose reflections can be often found in the common sight of tonnes of bio-medical waste lying in open garbage bins. It is sad that we have to live with this dangerous reality.

The solution perhaps lies with us. We the civil society need to be proactive about our health concerns and must induce the medical institutions and their staff to be much more prudent in the management of various forms of bio-medical wastes. Any laxity on their part regarding treatment of bio-medical waste must invite harsh public display of anguish, and legal actions from members of the civil society. At the same time, proper awareness and training of the hospital staff in rural and as well as urban India in effectively managing the bio-medical waste should be provided. In this regard, both the Union and the state governments, together with conscientious corporates and medical fraternity should concertedly play a proactive role.

It should also be remembered that sometimes simple solutions can help to ease a complex problem, provided that solution is pursued sincerely. We know that the incidence of bio-medical litter can be eliminated or significantly reduced by enhancing the day-to-day cleanliness and hygiene initiatives in hospitals, laboratories, clinics and nursing homes on a war footing. But I wonder whether our governments, corporates, our medical fraternity and we the people are collectively serious about hospital hygiene. In our Cover Story, we have attempted to explore the various issues pertaining to bio-medical waste, which we hope our readers would find interesting.

The unclean public toilets strewn with waste and infused with unbearable stench is a sordid reality in India, which needs immediate corrective steps for the sake of health and hygiene of the society. Many state-corporate initiatives towards building and maintenance of clean eco-friendly toilets is the need of the hour, but I think these initiatives can receive the requisite momentum from paper to practice only when they are propelled by the people’s movements towards clean public toilets. Surprisingly, we as a society have developed remarkable tolerance towards filthy public toilets in roads, and also in schools for our children. We have attempted to tackle the pressing problem of unclean toilets in schools and public places in our Business Story, and on our feature on Hygiene.

Besides these, our regular features are also expected to give you enough intensive reading material between the covers, which I hope would not only inform you but would also encourage you to introspect even more.

E d i t o r i a l

Publisher cum EditorRajneesh Sharma

Associate EditorSwarnendu Biswas

Feature EditorKanishk Gupta

Resident EditorSharmila Chand (Delhi)

Ashok Malkani (Mumbai)

Sub-EditorTapapriya Lahiri

Layout & DesignHari Kumar. V

Narender Kumar

PhotographerMahendra Singh Mehta

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3Mar-Apr ’12

SECTIONS 4 News Scan

10 Report

34 Pest Management

36 Health

38 Product Preview

40 Interview

12

CLEANING

28

18

BUSINESS

24

LAUNDRY

HYGIENE

30

Contents

COVER STORY

Mar-Apr ’124

NEWS SCAN

Kolkata to Have Biodiversity RegisterKolkata, which is often derided by its critics as dirty and polluted, is in the

process of attaining a rare environmental distinction. The City of Joy will be the first metropolitan city of India to have a complete database of biodiversity resources and its usage. The West Bengal Biodiversity Board, which comes under the ambit of the Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal, is in the process of preparing a ‘biodiversity register’ for Kolkata which will have the meticulous guideline on the usage of biological resources. Work on this biological register is expected to be completed by 2012.

Kolkata and its surroundings have rich reservoir of biological resources. The city dots with trees with rich medicinal value but neither their locations and preservation and nor their usage has been taken note of by the authorities in the past. There is no guideline towards their location, preservation or about their proper usage. Apart from the 12,500 hectare wide East Kolkata wetlands, Rabindra Sarobar and Subhas Sarobar, the overly populated city is rinsed with several other water bodies, which are teeming with rich natural resources in their vicinity. These rich in biodiversity areas could be effectively preserved and used with the help of the upcoming biodiversity register.

Succinctly, the translation of this innovative exercise into reality can be expected to improve the prevailing environment of callousness in the city with regard to its biological heritage, for a change. Once the biodiversity register gets approved by the board, it will facilitate towards commercial utilisation of the city’s biological resources, after approval by the board.

West Bengal Biodiversity Board was formed in compliance with the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, as a statutory body under the Department of Environment, Government of West Bengal. West Bengal Biodiversity Board’s objective is to ensure the proper implementation of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the West Bengal Biological Diversity Rules, 2005.

Eco-friendly Initiatives of the Indian Railways

As a part of green initiatives, Indian Railways will be introducing green trains with bio-toilets and vacuum toilets to provide better hygiene for passengers. Already a 24-coach green train, equipped with bacteria-eating bio-toilets, which would commute between Varanasi to Mumbai, had arrived from the Rail Coach Factory in the recent past.

It is jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Railways. The train envisages to achieve zero discharge of defecation on the tracks and the waste would be consumed by bacteria and converted into gas and water. In the next year, according to the former Railways Minister Dinesh Trivedi, 2500 coaches would be equipped with these bio-toilets.

There has been further development in this direction. A Bhopal-based engineering major has entered into an agreement with a Denmark-based firm and the Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE) for developing eco-friendly toilets for the Railways with an objective to keep trains, platforms and tracks clean and devoid of waste products and corrosion.

Under the purview of Railways’ green toilet initiative, toilets based on vacuum and as well as bacteria technology would be installed in trains. As per the plan of the Railways, the toilets which will function on vacuum technology would be installed in Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains, while biological-based toilets would be introduced in other trains.

While presenting the Railway Budget which did eventually cost his job, Trivedi had expressed an urgent need to “replace the conventional open-discharge toilets with green toilets with an objective to have cleaner, hygienic and safer railway ecosystem.”

That is not all as far as environmental-friendly initiatives of the Railways are concerned. In order to safeguard the environment, the Railways will also be having 200 remote railway stations, which will be powered only by the solar energy. Moreover, 1000 manned level crossing gates will get solar lighting system.

Mar-Apr ’126

NEWS SCAN

Towards a Greener KeralaNow, the future tourists to Kerala are expected to experience

a cleaner and greener Kerala as K M Mani, the Minister of Finance, Law and Housing in Kerala, has proposed an Rs 100-crore garbage-free Kerala programme for finding a solution to the waste disposal issues in the state. All local self-government bodies and Kudumbasree groups will be roped in the proposed eco-friendly programme.

According to K M Mani, government recognised green technologies would be given subsidies to the tune of Rs 100 crore for waste treatment exercises. For vermicompost cost subsidies of up to 75 percent will be provided and for biogas, cost subsidies up to 50 percent would be granted.

The government will also sanction Rs 45 crore for setting up three greenhouses in each panchayat of the state. This will facilitate in growing fruits and vegetables by application of hybrid technologies in controlled environments.

These eco-friendly projects will be financed with 75 percent funding from the Centre and the state government. The rest will be financed through bank loan or direct investment by the investor concerned. Cooperative banks, societies, or farmers can set up these greenhouses on 10 cents of land, entailing an investment of more than Rs 10 lakh. These projects will be executed by the district agricultural department with expert support.

Kerala is also expected to have 450 functional e-toilets by the end of this ongoing fiscal. Mani has announced a 5 percent tax reduction on e-toilets, which will give an encouragement to their construction in the state.

In an important development, the environmental performance of Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar has been recognised by EarthCheck; the travel and tourism industry’s leading environmental management, benchmarking and certification company. EarthCheck operates a scientifically rigorous benchmarking program and measures key indicators such as energy and water consumption, total waste production, and community commitment to provide a holistic picture of operational performance.

Radisson Blu Hotel Paschim Vihar Recognised by EarthCheck

In an important development, the environmental performance of Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar has been recognised by EarthCheck; the travel and tourism industry’s leading environmental management, benchmarking and certification company. EarthCheck operates a scientifically rigorous benchmarking program and measures key indicators such as energy and water consumption, total waste production, and community commitment to provide a holistic picture of operational performance.

Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar was rated at or above the Best Practice levels for water savings rating, waste sent to landfill, community contributions rating, cleaning products rating, and pesticide products rating.

An elated Preet Inder Singh, the General Manager of Radisson

Radisson Blu Hotel Paschim Vihar Recognised by EarthCheck

Blu Hotel Paschim Vihar, New Delhi said, “We take pride in being recognised by an illustrious environmental management program, Earthcheck. Being associated with the Carlson brand, we share the responsibility towards achieving the excellence in the hospitality business as well as contributing towards our society and the Earth.”

“I am delighted that Radisson Blu Hotel New Delhi Paschim Vihar has benchmarked their operations,” stated Stewart Moore, CEO, EarthCheck. “They have recognised the need to be responsible for the impacts of their operations and transparent in their environmental statements,” he added.

Mar-Apr ’128

QUALITYASSUREDCOMPANY

Allergy-Friendly Rooms to Fit-in at ITC Hotels

Now, an ITC Hotels’ guest can experience allergy-friendly rooms at all destinations. ITC Hotels has partnered with PURE Global, the innovator and market leader of allergy-friendly rooms worldwide to provide allergy-friendly rooms at its properties.

The award-winning and patented PURE Room program is an innovative program that thoroughly cleans, sanitises and seals all surfaces in a room, while filtering all the air with medical grade air cleaners produced by HealthWay. ITC Maurya, the company’s flagship property in Delhi, has introduced 80 allergy-friendly rooms while also equipping the heating ventilation and air conditioning systems with state-of-the-art inline commercial air cleaning systems by HealthWay, which have been proven to eliminate up to 100 percent of all ultra fine particles known to cause illness.

Here it deserves a mention that PURE Global is committed to providing the healthiest, safest and most enjoyable indoor environments worldwide. Located in Pulaski, New York, PURE operates in over 20 countries and has installed PURE Rooms in some of the world’s most prestigious hotels.

Thorough before and after studies have been conducted on PURE Rooms, and after being treated with the patented PURE program, rooms have been shown to have 90 percent less airborne allergens and particles.

Each room is updated every six months and monitored to ensure that it meets strict allergy guidelines for healthy spaces, with a re-certification process every two years. ITC Hotels has plans to add PURE Rooms at several more hotels across India.

Mysore Street Food Vendors’ Move Towards Hygiene

In the beginning of April, the city of Mysore was struck by the outbreak of cholera and jaundice. Following the outbreaks of these dangerous diseases, the city corporation of Mysore had banned street food vending in the city on 2nd April. Naturally, the decision attracted protests from the street food vendors of the city.

In the aftermath of these events, the city corporation of Mysore has now decided to set up a separate zone for food vendors. The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has also initiated the process of registration of the street food vendors of Mysore. This is mandatory under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations of 2011, which came into effect from 5th August 2011. There are 4000 street food vendors in the historical city of Mysore of whom only 1400 had submitted their applications for registration at the time of filing the report. Now the street food vendors cannot set up their stalls in Mysore, until they are registered.

The street food vendors who had registered themselves, resumed their business after a closure of 15 days, along with promises to keep their establishments clean, give more emphasis to hygiene and of providing treated water to their customers.

With the objective to safeguard hygiene, the cut fruit vendors have been asked to don caps and disposable polythene gloves, which was already on the health manual of the Mysore City Corporation (MCC). Some of the street food vendors of the city of Mysore were found to have installed devices to keep the flies away and were seen adhering to covering of their food products. Many street vendors of the city who were doing brisk business before their temporary closure, have also agreed to provide disposable non plastic plates and tumblers.

Mar-Apr ’1210

REPORT

Environment-friendly Eco Cottages

The word ‘eco’ has been echoing around in the hospitality industry. Sustainable practices have become the

buzzword in hotels and resorts worldwide, which include Indian hospitality properties too. The extent of influence of sustainable practices in the Indian hospitality industry is evident from the fact that the hospitality giant ITC Hotels has branded its properties with the apt tagline ‘Responsible Luxury.’

However, sustainable hospitality cannot thrive without sustainable tourism. One of the facets of sustainable tourism is eco-tourism. Eco-tourism can be simply defined or rather described as responsible travel to protected areas marked by pristine natural charm involving facilitation in conserving the environment and may also involve improving the well-being of local people and preserving their rich cultures.

Eco tents are an innovative way to participate in ‘green’ travelling and contributing towards advancing eco-tourism. Eco tents are created with the environment in mind and their construction should involve minimum possible affect on our land and other non-renewable resources . These environmentally friendly tents often come equipped with deluxe amenities that are suitable for the discerning guests. Eco tents can provide a refreshing travel experience while furthering a new generation of environmentally sensitive tourism.

With the concept of eco-tourism gathering momentum, tourists in India can now expect to find a number of luxurious and temporary eco tents and eco cottages in the midst of the serene nature to enjoy their tranquil holidays for

inner rejuvenation, in the very near future. Already the reputed outdoor furniture brand, Loom Crafts Furniture (India) Pvt. Ltd. has launched new and temporary eco tents cottages, specifically designed and conceptualised for the hospitality industry. They can be reinstalled from one place to another and it doesn’t deserve a mention that they are friendly to the environment.

In fact, Loom Crafts’ eco tent cottages are conceived and created to work in harmony with the environment. They are immaculately designed, flexible in application, foster sustainability while at the same time maintain affordability.

These tents are priced within Rs.2500-3500 per sq. ft. These luxurious eco-friendly cottages offer a rare opportunity to those with a concern for the environment, but want to enjoy their holidays with the trappings of luxury; surrounded by canvas and wood along with modern day amenities that the cosmopolitan life has to offer. Moreover, the amenities at these eco tent cottages can be tailored according to the customers’ demand.

These cottages are ideal for camping and also for indulging in the spirit of adventure tourism and they can bring one closer to the nature. The tents are also perfect for areas where permission for permanent structure is not granted. From hill-stations to beach resorts to scenic countryside, whatever be the location, weather or altitude, these eco tent cottages can be modified to suit the given conditions and the requirement of space.

All the eco tent cottages of Loom Craft are having insulation on the top and sides, which is suitable for air-conditioning.

They are spruced with eco-amenities such as solar power and natural ventilation among others. The wooden deck flooring along with aluminum doors and windows — powder coated in a choice of colours— further add to the plush interior designs and premium finish. In addition, the elevated wooden deck flooring further ensures negligible impact on the ground.

According to Rahul J indal, the Managing Director of Loom Crafts Furniture (India) Pvt. Ltd. their eco tents are created while adhering to the guidelines of eco-tourism industry. He also added, “The complete framework of these tents is made of alloy aluminium, and their top and sides are made of tensile membrane fabric, which speaks volumes about their durability. They are wind-proof and can withstand any kind of weather.”

These tents are versatile enough to be adopted to suit any situation and environment. The modular building system of these eco tent cottages can be custom-designed to suit a wide range of applications. In fact, the potential of the Loom Crafts eco tent cottages for eco-tourism is limited only by the imagination.

For enjoying the wild beauty of the sea waves from the shores, definitely a beach resort eco tent cottage is an ideal unwinding option. Similarly, a safari style eco tent can take your breath away for a second or two with the thrilling resonance of the wild roars of a different kind. These eco tents and cottages do have the potential to present a new business dimension for the hospitality giants in the country, especially with the concept of sustainable tourism gaining currency.

By Tapapriya Lahiri

Mar-Apr ’1210

Environment-friendly Eco Cottages

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Mar-Apr ’1212

COVER STORY

Prudent Managing of Bio-medical Waste A hospital is a place where one goes to be treated for one’s diseases. But these hospitals sometimes become the cause of spreading illness among the populace due to indiscriminate disposal of bio-medical waste. Unsafe handling and lackadaisical disposal of bio-medical waste is a matter of grave concern for health authorities in India. Several times the hospitals in India are found to be fl outing the rules for disposal of BMW. It is a dangerous reality that tonnes of bio-medical wastes from hospitals, nursing homes and clinics fi nd their place in open garbage bins on the roads, in most parts of the country. Such irresponsible dumping of bio-medical wastes in open bins has spurred the potential of spreading of many dangerous diseases. If goes unchecked, the accumulation of these dangerous wastes is only expected to increase in the days to come. Except for a handful of large private hospitals concentrated in metros, there is hardly any

effective and comprehensive system in place in most of the hospitals and nursing homes across the country towards safe disposal of

bio-medical waste. Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules were

formulated and notifi ed in July 1998. The laws came not a day soon and was the product of a series of public interest litigations. These laws are now applicable throughout the

country. But has they helped to address the situation? Do the hospitals in India really comply with these rules? Ashok Malkani takes a look at these rules and also explores on how the hospitals in India can adhere

to the safety and health regulations pertaining to bio-medical waste.

the hospitals in India are found to be fl outing the rules for disposal of BMW. It is a dangerous reality that tonnes of bio-medical wastes from hospitals, nursing homes and clinics fi nd their place in open garbage bins on the roads, in

of spreading of many dangerous diseases. If goes unchecked, the accumulation of these dangerous wastes is only expected to increase in the days to come. Except for a handful of large private hospitals concentrated in metros, there is hardly any




country. But has they helped to address the situation? Do the hospitals in India really comply with these rules? Ashok Malkaniexplores on how the hospitals in India can adhere


of spreading of many dangerous diseases. If goes unchecked, the accumulation of of spreading of many dangerous diseases. If goes unchecked, the accumulation of these dangerous wastes is only expected to increase in the days to come. Except for a handful of large private hospitals concentrated in metros, there is hardly any





Mar-Apr ’1212

13Mar-Apr ’12

COVER STORY

What happens when hazardous w a s t e i s disposed in an insensitive and

lackadaisical manner? Recently used medical items lay scattered on the footpath of a busy street in Byculla, Mumbai. Plastic syringes of various sizes, crushed bottles of intravenous drips, injection vials, fluffy cotton balls with stains of blood were littering the atmosphere, and most of the people seemed to be unconcerned about it. Rag pickers were seen rummaging through this potentially dangerous waste, without any intervention from the authorities. The government mandates that these materials should be incinerated at 900 degrees Celsius. The bio-medical waste was from Masina Hospital, Mumbai’s burns speciality hospital. This was in complete violation of the rules laid down by Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Br ihanmumbai Munic ipa l Corporation (BMC)-appointed SMS Envoclean has pointed out that 80 percent of Mumbai’s hospitals, which include both public and private hospitals, don’t segregate their refuse. This can seriously affect the health of the citizens as bio-medical waste does have the potential to spread infections of various types.

“We regularly send posters on the right disposal method to all healthcare units, in order to increase awareness. The bio-degradable bags we sell also have information on how used medical items can be separated. However, all these efforts didn’t yield the desired results,” said Chetan Bora, Director, SMS Envoclean. The city administration has entrusted SMS Envoclean with the responsibility of collecting bio-medical refuse from all

hospitals in Mumbai. Its 95 vans are employed to collect 12 to 14

tonnes of medical waste daily from 12,000 healthcare units. According to Bora, stuffi ng of hazardous waste in regular trash bags instead of the colour-coded ones are practiced by the staff at some hospitals in the city. This induces the BMC workers to collect it as regular trash, and thus they can be exposed to diseases.

A Different Waste However, these serious fl outing

of standards of disposal of bio-medical waste are not a stray case and neither the scenario is germane to only Mumbai. Proper disposal of bio-medical waste is still a challenge across the country.

Bio-medical waste means any solid and/or liquid waste including its container and any intermediate product , which is generated during the diagnosis, treatment or immunisation of human beings or animals, or in research pertaining thereto or in the production or testing thereof. It primarily includes laboratory or hospital waste, or waste generated from health clinics,

nursing homes, dentists’ clinics, homes of veterinarians, and also funeral homes. They can be broadly categorised as human anatomical waste, animal waste, solid waste, liquid waste, waste sharp such as needles, syringes, glasses, blades, etc. and chemical waste. However, this classifi cation is not exhaustive one.

The adverse impact of bio-medical waste on human beings can be more dangerous and direct than from other types of wastes. The treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste should be as per Schedule I and II of Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998; given in page 14 and 16. However, these norms are not regularly adhered to in our country.

The physico-chemical and biological nature of bio-medical wastes, their potential toxicity and hazard elements are different from your regular waste, which makes it necessary to adopt different methods /options for their treatment / disposal. In Schedule I of the Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998, the waste originating from different kinds of establishments have been demarcated into 10 different categories and their treatment and disposal options have been indicated.

H o w e v e r , d e s p i t e t h e comprehensive legislation, several hospitals in India show a very languid and lackadaisical approach towards bio-medical waste management. This has contributed towards turning the challenge of bio-medical waste disposal into a monstrous problem in the country. Many hospitals are engaged in directly disposing off

“We regularly send posters on the right disposal method to all healthcare units, in order to increase awareness. The bio-degradable bags we sell also have information on how used medical items can be separated. However, all these efforts didnresults,” said Chetan Bora, Director, SMS Envoclean. The city administration has entrusted the responsibility of collecting bio-medical refuse from all

hospitals in Mumbai. Its 95 vans are employed to collect 12 to 14

tonnes of medical waste daily from 12,000 healthcare units. According to Bora, stuffi ng of hazardous waste in regular trash bags instead of the colour-coded ones are practiced by the staff at some hospitals in the city. This induces the BMC workers to

Mar-Apr ’1214

Option Waste Category Treatment & Disposal

COVER STORY

Category No. 1

Human Anatomical Waste (Human tissues, human organs, human body parts)

Incineration @/deep burial*

Category No. 2

Animal Waste (Animal tissues, organs, body parts carcasses, bleeding parts, fluid, blood and experimental animals used in research, waste generated by veterinary hospitals and colleges, discharge from hospitals, animal houses)

Incineration@/deep burial*

Category No. 3

Microbiology & Biotechnology Waste (Wastes from laboratory cultures, stocks or micro-organisms live or vaccines, human and animal cell culture used in research and infectious agents from research and industrial laboratories, wastes from production of biologicals, toxins, dishes and devices used for transfer of cultures)

Local autoclaving/micro-waving/incineration@

Category No. 4

Waste Sharps (Needles, syringes, scalpels, blade, glass, etc. that may cause punture and cuts. This includes both used and unused sharps)

Disinfection (chemical treatment @@@/autoclaving/microwaving and mutilation/shredding##)

Category No. 5

Discarded Medicines and Cytotoxic Drugs (Waste comprising of outdated, contaminated and discarded medicines)

Incineration@/destruction and drugs disposal in secured landfills

Category No. 6

Soiled Waste (Items contaminated with blood, and body fluids including cotton, dressings, soiled plaster casts, lines, bedding, other material contaminated with blood)

Incineration@autoclaving/microwaving

Category No. 7

Solid Waste (Waste generated from disposal items other than the sharps such as tubings, catheters, intravenous sets, etc.)

Disinfection by chemical treatment@@ autoclaving/microwaving and mutilation/shredding##

Category No. 8

Liquid Waste (Waste generated from laboratory and washing, cleaning, housekeeping and disinfecting activities)

Disinfection by chemical treatment@@ and discharge into drains

Category No. 9

Incineration Ash (Ash from incineration of any bio-medical waste)

Disposal in municipal landfill

Category No. 10

Chemical Waste (Chemicals used in production of biologicals, chemicals used in disinfection, as insecticides, etc.)

Chemical treatment@@ and discharge into drains for liquids and secured landfill for solids

Note :@ There will be no chemical pretreatment before incineration. Chlorinated plastics shall not be

incinerated.* Deep burial shall be an option available only in towns with population less than five lakhs and

in rural areas.@@ Chemicals treatment using at least 1 percent hypochlorite solution or any other equivalent

chemical reagent. It must be ensured that chemical treatment entails disinfection.## Mutilation/shredding must be such that it prevents unauthorised reuse.

Schedule I: Categories of Bio-Medical Waste

15Mar-Apr ’12

or burning used needles, syringes, contaminated bandages, cotton gauzes, anatomical human waste, and expired medicines.

Sadly, there seems to be scant realisation of the sordid reality that bio-medical waste can be a potential health hazard to not only the healthcare workers, other patients and the general public, but also to the flora and fauna of the given area.

Potential Health Hazard Bio-medical waste could be

contagious and dangerous, and the extent of their

danger can even assume lethal overtones. The bio-medical waste should be managed with great sensitivity and circumspection, so as to not only safeguard the health and well-being of the general public but also of the healthcare and sanitation workers, who are routinely exposed to the bio-medical waste as an occupational hazard. Specially, with the presence of dreaded diseases like Hepatitis B and AIDS plaguing our healthcare scenario, it is utmost important to take care of this potentially contagious and hazardous form of waste to save the society from a potential health catastrophe. Here it deserves a mention that the bio-medical waste scattered in and around the hospitals can be responsible for the spread of communicable diseases like plague.

The improper disposal of bio-medical waste by a plethora of health centres, nursing homes and hospitals

across the country has the potential to pose serious health hazards to the general public, sanitation workers and as well as rag pickers. The workers handling bio-medical waste are often susceptible to health risks. Often they handle bio-medical waste without proper hand gloves, shoes or mask; as desired depending upon the nature of the bio-medical waste concerned.

The incidences of bio-medical waste generated in rural health centres getting buried in small pits near those centres themselves are not uncommon. Thanks to stray dogs in search of food, these potentially dangerous wastes often get exposed to public. The chances of cats, flies and mosquitoes becoming carriers of the diseases stemming from bio-medical waste also become high in cases of these waste’s improper disposal. There is hardly any sort of supervision of the health centres by Pollution Control Board, which is augmenting this problem in the

Mar-Apr ’1216

COVER STORY

country. Besides the threat of spreading

contagious diseases of lethal proportions, the air pollution due to emission of hazardous gases by incinerator such as furan and dioxin, and through hydrochloric acid, etc. must induce the government authorities, medical fraternity, the corporates and the public to make a concerted endeavour towards safe disposal of bio-medical waste. Awareness towards bio-medical waste is rising, but the awareness must also be complemented by action.

There is no denying the fact that the hospital staff in rural as well as urban India should be properly trained in effectively managing the bio-medical waste on a mass scale. The incidence of bio-medical litter can be eliminated or significantly reduced by perking up of cleanliness and hygiene standards in hospitals, laboratories, clinics and nursing

Notes: 1. Colour coding of waste categories with multiple treatment options as defined in Schedule I, shall be selected depending on treatment option chosen, which shall be as specified in Schedule I.2. Waste collection bags for waste types needing incineration shall not be made of chlorinated plastics.3. Categories 8 and 10 (liquid) do not require containers / bags.4. Category 3, if disinfected locally, need not be put in containers / bags.

Schedule II: Colour Coding and Type of Container for Disposal of Bio-Medical Waste

homes on a war footing. For that of course, the governments, civil society and the medical fraternity must make a concerted effort.

Managing Bio-medical Waste

According to the experts, proper management of bio-medical waste involves the following steps:

S e g r e g a t i o n o f Wa s t e : Segregation is the primary step of any waste management exercise and should be conducted where the bio-medical waste is generated, that is at its source. They include all patient care activity areas, diagnostic services areas, operation theaters, labour rooms, treatment rooms, etc.

Collection of Waste: Collection of bio-medical waste should be done according to the directives given in the Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998. The collected bio-medical waste should not be stored for more

than 24 hours, at ordinary room temperature.

Transportation: The passage of bio-medical waste should not go through the patient care areas. While transporting bio-medical waste, proper care should be taken so that it does not get mix with general waste. For transporting the bio-medical waste to the site of storage or treatment, using desiccated wheeled containers, trolleys or carts is a smart idea. It goes without saying that the trolleys or carts should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected if any spillage occurs. Particularly hazardous bio-medical waste should be kept in containers and should be marked with labels, before their transportation to a long distance.

Tr e a t m e n t : D e e p b u r i a l , autoclave and microwave treatment, shredding, secured landfill and incineration are some of the

17Mar-Apr ’12

COVER STORY

treatment methods for bio-medical waste. They can be employed depending upon the nature of bio-medical waste.

Safety: All generators, collectors and handlers of bio-medical waste should be properly trained in dealing with bio-medical waste, and must ensure proper safeguards pertaining to bio-medical waste when they come in contact with it. Even the drivers carrying bio-medical waste from one distance to another should be aware of the nature and potential risk of the bio-medical waste, and must take proper precautions, and must be prepare to handle eventualities like spillage.

The Learning Process Here it deserves a mention that

quality adherence to the above-mentioned steps, though necessary, is not enough for a bio-medical waste management programme to succeed in the long run. For a bio-medical waste management

programme to succeed in the long run in this fast evolving healthcare scenario, updating the guidelines for the segregation, management and disposal of infectious or potentially infectious bio-medical waste should be emphasised. Furthermore, the healthcare industry must be guided to reduce bio-medical waste generation, and to reduce the incidences and impact of air contamination from incineration of bio-medical waste. Understanding of new technologies available for

safe disposal of bio-medical waste by the concerned healthcare workers is also necessary.

In order to tackle the problem of bio-medical waste effectively in India, the hospitals should go in for sophisticated technologies for the disposal of bio-medical waste, which include incineration, autoclaving and microwaving. At the same time, the Union Gov e rn m e n t s h o u l d provide adequate assistance to the states so that these facilities are inducted and the right training towards disposal of bio-medical waste is being given to the health personnel without any financial impediments.

Of course, at the same time, the states must also ensure that the private hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary houses, blood banks, animal houses and pathological laboratories within their territories must adhere to the Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 1998 scrupulously, and are also able enough to do so. ■

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BUSINESS

Maintaining hygienic conditions in public toilets or restrooms is a difficult proposition in India, particularly in the rural areas. In fact, the sheer paucity of clean public toilets in India has compelled many Indians to answer nature’s call amidst nature – in the open – with breeze wafting across their unkempt hair. The ‘pay for the facility’ system could have worked better in India if the public toilets were kept clean but the contractors, by and large, seem to be only interested in making a fast buck, which has resulted in the people’s reluctance to opt for this facility. A success for the ‘pay-and-use’ toilet is possible on a wider scale if a semblance of hygiene is maintained in most of these places.At the same time, Ashok Malkani finds that new innovations are being tried in India to keep the public restrooms clean. In fact, one concept which has proved successful is that of advertising on the public utilities’ walls. The income derived from the advertisements pays for maintaining the toilets clean. Also, if the contractors want to attract advertisements they have to keep the toilets clean. This is only one of the concepts of keeping the public toilets clean in India. As far as public toilets within public places like shopping malls or theatres or restaurants is concerned, it is essential to keep these utilities clean if you want to continue to attract customers to their premises.

The Public Needs Clean Toilets

19Mar-Apr ’12

BUSINESS

Cleanliness is next to godliness. But when you are in a typical public w a s h r o o m i n India, there is little

likelihood of your ever feeling next to the God because cleanliness is something that seems to be unheard of in our public toilets. More often than not, the wrinkling of your nose will accompany you to a public toilet in India!

When you step into an average Indian public toilet often you have to be circumspect as there could be puddles or streaks of water on the floor. Walking with care and stepping around any spillages of water will help reduce any risks of

slipping and falling, and injuring yourself in the process. Often these public toilets are found to be clogged with urine and defecation, emanating unbearable stench.

A Pathetic State of Affairs No tap, no running water, no

soap, lack of absence of latch on the door, the remains of a sink, beer bottles and cigarette butts strewn in often compounds the filthiness of the unhygienic scenario of many of our public toilets. Succinctly, they are by and large unkempt, dirty and have the potential to breed a number of diseases. One can say that the idea of public toilets which is laudable has become laughable when translated into reality in the Indian context.

This deplorable situation is the case also in those cities which are known for cleanliness, like say Bangalore. According to the Bangalore Patrol survey done by Janaagraha and The Times of India a year ago, 70 wards out of 198 scored zero, which implied an almost complete absence of public toilets in those places. Even in the areas where

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BUSINESS

there are toilets, most of them reflect poor upkeep. It is almost certain that the situation of Bangalore’s public toilets hasn’t changed drastically within a span of a year. Specially, the Nirmala Shouchalaya built by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) near Vellara junction on Richmond Road, presented me with a version of pure hell when I happened to visit it in the recent past.

At the same time, there is no denying the fact that India needs a huge number of public toilets. Our performance on sanitation is shameful for a country that claims to be an emerging economic power. In a country where close to 665 million people do not have toilet facilities, and are seen indulging in the humiliating practice of relieving themselves in the open and thereby contributing to the spread of diseases, the role of clean public toilets cannot be overemphasised.

Here it deserves a mention that the concept of construction of public toilets and its maintenance on a pay-and-use basis in India was originated by Sulabh International Social Service Organisation in 1974. There is no denying the fact that the provision of the Sulabh public toilet complexes in public places and slums on ‘pay-and-use basis’ is a landmark in the field of community health, hygiene and environmental sanitation in India. The public toilets of Sulabh were outstandingly successful throughout the country. But since then the need for public toilets has increased

manifolds in the country, but barring few and far between praiseworthy movements like Sulabh and Nirmal Gram Abhiyan, the involvement in improving our pathetic sanitation infrastructure has been far from praiseworthy.

The funding is not the only problem behind construction and maintenance of clean public toilets in India. The system is equally to be blamed. Even if a municipal corporation gives green signal to NGOs to bid for the construction of public toilets, the control of finances rests with the petty bureaucrats. Many a time palm greasing of the public officials is the only solution to make public toilets see the light of the day. The struggle and eventual delay in getting funds can compromise on the timely delivery of the public toilets. The maintenance of these public toilets is also a challenge. Besides employing impeccable housekeeping services without letting the budget go haywire, the state or the NGOs must try to instil a sense of community hygiene among the people so that these toilets remain clean and dry for long periods of time.

Moreover, while the ‘pay and use’ toilets are supposed to earn money for the NGOs and contractors, the idea of advertising on the walls of the public toilets too should also be taken up seriously to ensure better restroom facilities.

Toilets for the Urban Public But nevertheless the governments

are taking some proactive steps to

address the herculian challenge of providing a plethora of public toilets for our teeming populace. For example in Mumbai and Pune, the municipalities have brought in NGOs who are working with the urban poor for the purpose of designing, constructing and maintaining of public toilets in the slum areas.

According to Swati Ramanathan, the Co-founder of Janaagraha, “the most important part of social infrastructure is the public toilet.” She feels that in Bangalore where there is a paucity of space, there is a need to begin pilot projects of user-friendly, hygienic toilets on the lines of the “model toilets which are set up in public parks in Thiruvananthapuram.” She is confident that people would be ready to pay if the facilities provided in the toilets are good. Yes, people are definitely willing to pay for clean toilets, but at the same time, given the rampant poverty in India, exacting hygiene must be provided within affordable costs. Otherwise the exercise of clean toilets can be defeated in urban India, despite honest endeavours.

In some slums in Mumbai, where the toilets were constructed by the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres(SPARC), a community centre was built on top of the toilet block, and in a room above the toilet block the caretaker and his family lived. This facilitated those toilets’ cleanliness.

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government, where the goal is to make Mumbai open-defecation free, SPARC was contracted to construct toilet blocks in 10 cities of Maharashtra. By March 2011, 289 toilet blocks were constructed.

SPARC supports two people’s movements, the National Slum Dwellers Federation and Mahila Milan, in organising the urban poor to come together, articulate their concerns and collectively produce solutions to the problems they face. Together, these organisations are known as the Alliance. The Alliance began working in a significant way on community sanitation in slums of Pune with the Pune Municipal Corporation, in 1999. Within a year, it was responsible for constructing more than 10,000 seats in community toilet blocks; benefiting at least 500,000 slum dwellers. This was the first time an Indian city achieved slum sanitation on such a huge scale.

Equally important was the mode of implementation: a precedent-sett ing par tnership between the municipality, NGOs and community-based organisations. The Corporation provided land, capital costs, water and electricity, while NGOs and CBOs designed, constructed and maintained the community toilets. Traditionally, the government builds public toilets without community participation, which often results in poor quality construction, severe paucity of water and electricity supply, and the absence of proper maintenance, thereby setting off a wasteful cycle of demolition and reconstruction.

The Loss Through Di r ty Washrooms

However, simply construction of public toilets is not enough, without their adequate and sustained maintenance the entire exercise may

fall flat on the face. Especially for a hotel or a hospital or a mall, a dirty washroom can affect reputation and hence revenues. When a restroom in a property looks dirty and smells foul, or when it doesn’t have the necessary supplies and infrastructure, it reflects poorly on the facilities and maintenance staff of the property concerned. Keeping an adequate supply of personal care products is absolutely essential for maintaining a clean washroom. In fact, according to the Washington-based Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International, over 25 percent of all cleaning related complaints are associated with restroom care.

It goes without saying that meticulous planning and great attention to detail are the essential features of quality restroom care. Leaking soap dispensers or towels on floor can mar the reputation of an otherwise clean restroom. Facility Managers need to balance multiple costs, challenges and requirements in order to have a spic and span public restroom. Of course, they should be ably supported by the management in this endeavour. Here it deserves a mention that the affect of harmful chemicals is one of the commonly overlooked areas of restroom management, to which the Facility Managers must direct proper care.

There is no denying the fact that with increasing footfalls, the challenge of maintenance of cleanliness in restrooms is getting more arduous. The answer to this lies in greater mechanisation. Installation of touch less products and systems in the restroom is an effective way to prevent the spread of germs.

Touch free dispensers is a case in the point. In restrooms equipped with these systems, users do not have to touch handles, levers, or buttons for turning on water, dispensing washroom products or flushing toilets. This helps prevent the disease from one person to spread to another. No wonder, sensor-activated devices that control water faucets and lights, and hand towel dispensers have become the order of the day in many five-star hospitality properties.

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BUSINESS

Innovative and Eco-friendly Amidst the predominantly dismal

sanitation scenario in India, there are few rays of hope. A Berlin-based industrial engineer from Israel, Noa Lerner, is developing a mobile public toilet, targeted at the third world’s urban slum dwellers. Lerner was appalled, when on a trip to India she found that even the centers of some large cities do not have the presence of public toilets. Then, she discovered, the situation was even worse in slums, where often there is no sewage system.

The design that she created at her company includes a top that simulates the familiar toilet bowl that is placed over a removable container covered with a plastic layer with odour-repellant and anti-bacterial substances. A very small amount of water is used to clean the top bowl. About once a week, these almost waterless environment-friendly toilets could be rolled in a securely closed manner to a neighborhood collection facility. Each of these toilet barrels is sealed and nano-coated in a way that allows them to be used for a week at a stretch without emptying or cleaning. Working with Sulabh, Lerner will create a pilot project to be launched in India’s capital.

Besides Lerner’s innovation, there are several other praiseworthy attempts being made to improve public toilets or restrooms in India, in the recent past. Recently, e-toilets have come up in over 30 locations across Kerala and Greater Noida. These fully-automated public toilet facilities have been introduced by the local administration bodies and tourism authorities of Kerala. Their fame has spread overseas.

Designed by Technopark-based Eram Scientific, the e-toilet option named as Delight creatively amalgamated electronics, web and mobile technologies to comfortably facilitate the most basic call of the person. Moreover, here the operators can earn additional revenue by selling the outer wall space for advertisement. Presently you can find Delight e-toilets in over 30 locations, out of which six locations are in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh,

and the remaining are in Kerala. When you drop a coin, the

sliding door of these facilities opens automatically. The value of the coin however depends upon the operator. Though there is paucity of space in these facilities, but the sensor-guided and attractive overhead lighting and rotating exhaust fan can compensate for this minor problem.

These e-toilets are also endowed with a pre-flush system which releases 100 ml of water to clean the closet before each use. Push the green button and the flush would come in force. Even if we forget to flush, the unit’s mechanism would not forget to do that. For usage of less than three minutes, only 1.5 litres of water is released and for over three minutes of use, four litres of water is released. However, there is no fear of the lack of water in these e-toilets as their water tank has a reservoir of 500 litres of water from the supply source.

The latest innovation in clean public toilets in hotels, hospitals and malls, etc. is to go in for environment-friendly products. Recently, an eco-friendly initiative towards the direction of public toilets was undertaken by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC).

The body has taken the decision to install bio-digesters in two public toilet blocks at the pilgrim centre of Akkalkot, which is located about 45 km from Solapur. About Rs. 10 lakh

has been sanctioned for installation of these bio-digesters. Bio-digesters convert organic waste into nutrient-rich liquid fertiliser and biogas, which can be used as a renewable source of electrical and heat energy, and facilitate in saving water. The installation of bio-digesters would save water in Akkalkot, where there is scarcity of water. Delhi-based Defence Research Development Organisation has developed these bio-digesters. According to Shashikant N Manapure, the Director at Go Green Solutions, a green consulting company, the bio-digester technology does not require chemical, mechanical or electrical back up for its operations. Once the unit is fitted into the toilet, no maintenance is needed.

According to Naina Gurav, the Regional Manager, MTDC, Pune, MTDC is envisaging to replicate this technology in toilets at Elephanta Caves, at MTDC resorts in Mahabaleshwar and Matheran, in toilets at the parking area of Sinhagad Fort, and also at the MTDC resorts that will come up in eco-sensitive regions such as Tadoba, Nagzira and Ramtek.

We can say that many more of such eco-friendly and innovative endeavours are needed to address the crying need for eco-friendly public toilet options in India, which should be clean and green and must be stringently maintained to remain healthy for subsequent usage through years. ■

23Mar-Apr ’12

ENVIRONMENT

Today, environmentally friendly homes, offi ces or retail spaces have graduated from luxury

or fashion statements. Instead they are increasingly becoming necessities of our troubled times. Across the globe, the green building movement is gathering momentum.

Though innovative designs play a key role in the creation of eco-friendly buildings, but they are not the products of architectural dexterity alone, but also of a passionate collective will by all stakeholders to make a difference. The importance of environment friendly buildings to improve indoor air quality or in preventing the deterioration of indoor air quality cannot be overemphasised in today’s times. Research has shown that people in industrialised countries use 90 percent of their time at indoors, on an average, and there is a wealth of scientifi c evidence showing that indoor air can be 10 to 100 times more polluted than the outside air.

Homes and offices with solar cooking systems is an effective alternative to keep the ambient air from getting polluted, but we could fi nd that very few residential buildings, offices or hospitality properties in India employing such methods. Absence of adequate ventilation, which is a rampant feature in the Indian homes and offi ces, is another important cause of indoor air pollution. Even in an apparently sleek offi ce in a posh area of a metropolitan city, indoor air pollution because of inadequate ventilation could be very much omnipresent. The emergence of the green building culture could effectively address this challenge.

Besides beneficial effects on health and hence productivity, the improvement of ventilation of the buildings can lead to cost savings also. While improving the indoor air quality, the building owners and/or property developers can lower the energy costs by as much as 50 percent by simply incorporating energy

recovery ventilators (ERVs).Designing of the right spaces

between things in the buildings could play a vital role in making it green, for pollution of indoor air is often facilitated through the cluttered furnishings in the room. Carpets, varnishes, solvents, printers, fax machines, asbestos, tobacco smoke all have the potential to release harmful contaminants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehydes, radon, etc. and encourage development of biological organisms like bacteria, viruses, fungus, pollen, etc. They also do have the potential to emit foul odour and dust. The tightly sealed buildings, the increasing usage of synthetic building materials in the recent times, have also contributed to the indoor air pollution. The new-age builders should avoid such pitfalls through both awareness and action.

One simple way of purifying the ambient air or keeping it from polluted is to dot your property with green plants at appropriate empty spaces. This would keep the level of CO2 and other air pollutants in the building in check. However, this measure, though praiseworthy, is far from enough for a building to be called a green building. The concept of sustainable building must include a variety of environmentally friendly strategies during the design, construction and operations of the building, in order to let it graduate to a welcome reality.

A green building should make extensive use of eco-friendly materials and products in its design. First of all, the building users should avoid using volatile organic compounds, which can cause a wide array of symptoms ranging from headaches, eye irritation and chronic coughing, to fatigue, depression and even loss of memory. VOCs are both naturally occurring and synthetic, and they evaporate easily at room temperature. Over long periods of time, VOC vapours are gradually released into the air at room temperature. These

vapours are not detectable by your human senses, but can affect the environment and human health.

At the same time, a building endeavouring to be a green building should strive to make optimal usage of water, light, electricity and other raw materials, and their wastage must be scrupulously prevented. The use of non-renewable sources of energy must be avoided, and wherever possible, non-renewable sources of energy should be replaced by the renewable sources of energy in a building endeavouring to be a green building. Wind power and solar power are two of the prominent renewable and cost-effective sources of energy, which should attract wider acceptance among Indians. Generating electricity through wind turbines or solar panels can enhance a property’s green image.

New technologies are continually being developed and implemented to complement the conventional practices of creating greener structures. The usage of waterless urinals, sensor taps, heat refl ecting paints, etc. are only some of the other simple and popular environmentally friendly measures that a building can adopt towards its green initiative.

Thankfully, the green building movement is gathering momentum in India too. Like elsewhere in the planet, India too has woken up to the needs and benefi ts of sustainable architecture, but still there is a long way to go before this happening trend is to become an established culture in the Indian context. We need this culture to gain more speed and space in the coming years, for our environment’s and our own sake.

Building the Green Way

23Mar-Apr ’12

By Swarnendu Biswas

Mar-Apr ’1224

LAUNDRY

Exploring the Potential of Laundry Business

By Gokul Bhagabati

There i s ha rd l y any second opinion in the industry about the state of laundry business in

India. It is largely unorganised and untapped. “As compared to the US or other developed countries, the laundry industry has realised only 20 percent of its potential in India,” said Suresh Goyal, Director of Supershine Laundry Systems Pvt. Ltd., a significant player in the Indian laundry industry, who are into manufacturing, installing and maintaining of commercial laundry equipment since 1990, in India and its neighbours.

Laundry is an essential activity in quite a few sectors of the service industry. However, the potential for laundry in a number of sectors have not been properly exploited by the Indian laundry industry as yet. At the same time, the demand for laundry service in India is also increasing, because of the growth in various associated sectors such

as hospitality and healthcare. The improved lifestyles among a select segment of population, whose numbers are in no way insignificant, and the paucity of skilled manpower for manual washing are also giving an impetus to the laundry business in India.

Entry of some professional and organised laundry service providers such as Wardrobe, White Tiger, Four Seasons Laundry Services, Jyothy Fabricare Services Limited ( JFSL) speaks volumes about the ensuing changes that the Indians are going to show on their attires and get-up. The huge untapped laundry market in India has also induced the professional players to envisage a fast track growth ahead.

Emerging Trends According to Jai Bhambhani,

Managing Director, Aquarius Applianes Pvt. Ltd. perception about the laundry business in the country is

changing these days and it is largely seen as an upcoming industry. He views that changed notion about the dignity of labour, increasing awareness amongst the consumers, mechanisation of the processes, use of environment fr iend ly chemicals, and consciousness to hygienic living have contributed immensely towards this changing perception. He further hopes that there would be corporatisation of the laundry business in India, in the near future.

The laundry business in India is also becoming more techno-savvy as the multinational companies engaged in the laundry business in India are endeavouring to introduce the latest laundry technologies into the Indian market. According to Sunder Belani of Ramsons, a major provider of laundry equipment in India, emphasis on energy saving, automation to reduce dependence on manpower, innovation in chemicals to increase lifetime of linen/garments, and easy access to customers by staying close to them are some of the new trends in the Indian laundry industry.

Goyal is of the view that the growth of commercial laundry in India will also benefit the consumers, as they are currently spending much higher price for low quality laundry services, even by the standard of developed countries. He thinks that as the sector is presently underdeveloped, commercial laundry in the country has huge potential to grow. However,

Mar-Apr ’1224

25Mar-Apr ’12

LAUNDRY

“In the coming years, development of laundry activities will be limited mainly to the metropolitan cities,” he asserted.

According to Sunder Belani, the induction of consultants and equipment manufacturers in the planning stage can help the laundry service providers immensely. “We are able to provide sound advice on which technologies should be used by which customers. In addition, we provide training, and in some cases, also provide human resource to our clients,” informed Belani.

Outsourcing is another trend which is likely to be more relevant

for the Indian laundry industry in the coming years. “While a big hotel or a number of hotels belonging to different groups but located at a particular centre can have in-house laundry facilities, small hotels with say less than 100 rooms do not find it economically and commercially viable to have in-house laundry facilities. Therefore they need to go for outsourcing of such services. Laundry business is also a technical service and most of the hotels/hospitals/hostels find it convenient to outsource the laundry services,” explained Bhambhani. However, the luxury hotels generally boast their reservations about outsourcing and pooling in of laundry services, as they project themselves to be die-hard quality conscious.

Growth AreasThe hospitality industry in India

offers better scope for growth in India’s laundry business, because the hospitality industry in India, which can’t do without the support of laundry operations, is in itself going through an impressive growth phase. Bhambhani rightly viewed that laundry business in India has a great future in India’s hospitality industry.

Apart from the hospitality industry, new avenues are also opening up for the Indian laundry industry today. “Although the Indian hospitality industry has the maximum potential for the growth

of our laundry industry, educational institutes are also catching up soon. While luxury hotels normally have in-house laundry systems, we could see that residential schools are also opting for in-house laundry as part of their service offerings to their students. Pharmaceutical companies, food & beverage industry, and oil & gas industry are the other three main industries which offer opportunities for the Indian laundry industry to grow,” explained Gautam Dasgupta from IFB Industries Ltd. He further informed that centralised laundries are becoming an integral part of many society apartments and community living. “In big cities, often both husband and the wife can be seen working, and as such both of them have very little time to wash their linen at home. Size of each apartment is also playing an important role as more and more people are opting for smaller apartments where it is difficult to fit a washing machine and a dryer”, Dasgupta pointed out.

Goyal asserted that Indian Railways, which carries more than 20 million passengers every day, offers a huge market for the laundry business to flourish in the coming years. As the textile export houses clean the clothes before shipping, laundry industry can easily further explore the textile export market too. However, Goyal cautions that with the growth of the Indian laundry industry, the competition in the sector will also increase over the

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LAUNDRY

years. Therefore the service providers will have to walk with the times and apply innovative marketing strategies to remain relevant. For example, textile renting, which is already a norm in some developed countries, can soon become a trend in the Indian hospitality industry. In that case, laundry service providers will have to cater to the needs of linen along with their conventional services of providing washing and ironing.

According to Belani, along with the hotels, the retail sector too provides huge opportunities for the growth of the Indian laundry industry. He has also emphasised that the existing players would have to work on upgradation and renovation to face the competition from some of the new players, who are likely to be armed with state-of-the-art technologies. Belani also expressed his willingness to help the novices to tap the emerging opportunities in the Indian laundry business. He further added, “Ramsons will go the extra mile to help create the necessary business plans, help obtain bank loans, etc. for the new entrepreneurs.” That sounded quite heartening in this age of maddening competition.

ROI in Commercial LaundryAlthough opinions regarding

return on investment (ROI) differ among the industry experts, given the opportunities in the Indian laundry industry, all industry experts are of the view that the gestation period in commercial laundry business is quite short. Buying behaviour of the consumers can be influenced by converting needs into demands, and commercial laundry can stimulate this demand, thereby benefiting both the service providers and the service users.

According to Bhambhani, medium and large scale commercial laundries can break even in less than a year’s time. “However, in order to reap profits within a short period of time, the project needs to be thoroughly studied, covering the installed capacity, the capacity utilisation, the type of clientele, the working of the niche market, the paying capacity of the floating population, etc.,” he

opined. He further elaborated that the procurement of the right type of chemicals/detergent, and the maintenance of installed machinery were of immense significance for the service provider. “If properly executed, the project can generate a gross profit of 25-30 percent and a return on investment (ROI) of about 20 percent within two years. I feel that in today’s competitive world, such ROI is more than reasonable. I strongly feel that early birds can skim the market, provided they have the requisite entrepreneurship, technical know-how, and the capability to manage the business,” he asserted.

Belani is of the view that ROI in commercial laundry will depend on whether the laundry is only catering to the institutions or retail consumers as well. It depends on how much automation they want and the choice of equipment they would go for. Some effective players, he informed, have already realised ROI on the business within a period of 12 months, and some even within lesser time period than that. Dasgupta was however more cautious and pragmatic when talking about the return on investment of commercial laundries. According to him, ROI for commercial laundries can be realised only after 2-3 years.

Training is the KeyAs is the case with the most

ser vice providing businesses, appropriate and regular training remains vital for the laundry industry too. Training is necessary, both for installation of the machines and as well as for maintaining them, as inappropriate handling of the machines may cost a fortune

to the customers and the service providers. Bhambhani asserted the importance of organised training. “Our company is endeavouring to impart the necessary training to the engineers/technicians to ensure not only appropriate installation of the laundry projects, but also to ensure their smooth functioning thereafter. The company often takes the technicians to the manufacturing site, even to abroad, to equip them with the latest development in the industry. Nevertheless, I strongly feel the necessity of organised training institutes for the industry,” proffered Bhambhani.

Future of Traditional PlayersH ow e v e r, t h e g row t h o f

commercial laundry in India is also expected to have its affects on the traditional service providers in the laundry business. Are they giving the traditional dhobis and the dry cleaning shops cause of worry? Not quite, according to the industry experts. According to Dasgupta, “Of course, they (the professional laundries) will be a competition to the traditional dry cleaning shops, because once the facility is available at your doorstep and that too at a much lesser cost, then they will pose a threat to the dry cleaning shops. However, we estimate that the laundry usage will go drastically high in the near future and as such we do not foresee the closure of these dry cleaning shops.”

Belani believes that because of their speedy delivery, the traditional dry cleaning shops will be able to survive the threat of commercial laundry services. Goyal is of the view that consumers can get the benefit of

27Mar-Apr ’12

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personal care to their linen from the traditional laundry shops. He firmly believes that commercial laundry will not eat up the neighbourhood dry cleaning shops. But what is most certain is that due to the increasing competition, the traditional dry cleaning shops will have to better their service and offer competitive prices to survive in the industry.

Difficult to Wash Challenges Along with the vast opportunities

that this age has thrown up to the laundry service providers, there also comes a unique set of challenges for the Indian laundry industry. The perception of the consumers about the industry also needs to be changed drastically to motivate the young and dynamic entrepreneurs to venture into the laundry business. According to Goyal, the high cost of land, paucity of big domestic manufacturers, less availability of skilled man-power for manual washing, high import duty on machines, lack of awareness among consumers are some of the major

challenges that the laundry industry is currently facing in India.

Bhambhani is of the view that the fragmented and unorganised nature of the industry has been a major stumbling block towards the growth of the industry. He laments that standardisation/benchmarking are still missing from the consumers’ point of view, and perceived reasonableness with regards to price and quality can break the barriers for progress in the business. While standardisation and benchmarking are missing from the industry, the cost of the technology used by the international manufacturers is often quite high for the domestic players to adopt.

However, according to him, of all the challenges, depletion of our natural resources, and especially the scarcity of water is emerging as the biggest challenge for the laundry industry, which uses huge quantity of water. According to Belani, labour is the biggest issue in the laundry industry and difficulty in reducing overheads and non

contributing costs such as logistics are some of the other challenges to reckon with in the laundry industry of India.

Despite all these challenges, it can be safely said that the importance of laundry in India’s economy and in the lifestyle of its people is getting more pronounced over the years. Time is therefore now opportune for the laundry industry in India to think out of the box and achieve unprecedented heights of growth. ■

Mar-Apr ’1228

CLEANING

Industrial c leaning has immense impor tance in maintaining a clean and green environment. Automobile industry is one of the industries which

do have great polluting potential. Thus continual cleansing of the

Drive Away From Grime

automobile industry should assume due importance if the state and the civil society concerned aim for a safe environment for its present and future.

The automobile industry has a wide variety of products, which can cause pollution and bring danger

to the human health. Two blatant examples of such products are obviously the diesel and petrol, but there are many inside stories too. Automobile industry is also a source of lead pollution and mercury pollution, which can breed a range of illnesses.

Polluting Infl uences It doesn’t need a mention that

Mercury’s highly toxic nature is detrimental to the health of humans and wildlife. Mercury is released when automobiles are scrapped. One of the car components is the lead starter battery, which accounts for a huge chunk of the current lead usage in the world. Like most developing nations, in India too, the main source of lead pollution is the automobile exhaust. And if we know that the children and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to lead poisoning, we can’t help get alarmed by our future, and can’t confi ne the discussion of automobile pollution to an academic realm only.

One of the most lethal constituents of vehicle exhaust emissions is carbon monoxide, an odourless gas with potential of generating severe environmental damages. Through vehicle exhaust emissions, carbon

29Mar-Apr ’12

CLEANING

Drive Away From Grime

monoxide molecules get released into the environment and displace the life-giving oxygen molecules, thereby reducing oxygen levels. Now just consider what would happen if we let this perilous situation continue unimpeded. No, it would not be diffi cult to breathe; breathing would eventually become an impossibility.

However, polluting affects of the automobile industry should be analysed under two divisions; one includes its affects on the outside environment and traffic, and the other on the affects on the workers in the automobile industry. By simply switching over to CNG may help the traffi c to thwart vehicular pollution to some degree, but it is unlikely to endow the millions of lives working in the automobile industry of India potentially much healthier.

We must remember that solvents, acids, batteries, etc. which are integral parts of the automobile industry, and consequently are found in garages and automobile workshops with abundance, also do have hazardous potential. Disposal from batteries can cause water pollution, which may pave the way to a number of water borne diseases.

Of course, the automobile industry can’t be contained as it is one of the major driving forces of our economy, but its polluting affects can and should surely be countered. Sometimes we have to use the weapon of prevention, and sometimes we have to employ segregation to challenge this problem of monstrous proportions, which if goes unchecked, can threaten our well-being for centuries to come.

Caring Cars…and Humans If we want to reduce the polluting

affects which germinate inside the automobile industry, proper waste automotive fl uid management

practices in the automobile workshops must be ensured. For example, using detergents in place of solvents can facilitate in countering the polluting affects of the automobile industry. Avoiding spillages, use of drip trays, segregation of solvent and aqueous waste are other pragmatic alternatives towards having an environmentally friendly automobile workshop, a phenomenon which unfortunately is a rarity in India.

The functioning of the automobile industry involves extensive usage of glues and adhesives for repair works. If the spillage of glues and adhesives are not taken care of with immediate concern, they tend to get stick to the floor, causing inconveniences to the workers and clients. However, not all the products of the automobile industry have only cosmetic ramifi cations.

For example, the unnoticed spillage of motor oil in a damp, dark workshop (very much relevant in the Indian context) can result in a dislocated bone in the shoulder, and thereby lead to the loss of many man hours. Similarly, oil paints, which can facilitate environmental damage, should be replaced with water-based fi nishes and latex paints with increasing regularity.

However, till date, the use of water-based finishes is not very high in the Indian automobile industry, though they are much easier to clean up than the oil paints. The new generation VOC free environmental paints are also a viable option. Besides being benevolent to the environment, they do not have allergic affects on the body, unlike the conventional paints

constituting fume producing volatile organic compounds.

The general cleaning standards of the Indian automobile industry at large are quite dismal to say the least. To ensure the automobile workshops adhere to strict cleanliness and hygiene standards, wash area of the workshop must be given its desired focus. This area gets dust, grease, muck of the automobiles, and thus meticulous planning must be adhered to before constructing this area of the workshop. The wash area of the automobile workshops must have proper drainage systems for thorough disposal of wastewater and waste oil, grease, etc.

Thankfully, many workshops even in India have made a healthy graduation towards mechanised cleaning, which leaves much less scope for pollution. For example, mechanised cleaning does entail less consumption of water, and hence the requirements for disposal of wastewater also become less, thereby reducing the potential for water pollution.

Besides adhering to mechanised cleaning, the workshop fl oor should also be kept clean and free of unnecessary dirt and grime. Epoxy Resin Floors do have high adhesion and chemical resistance, much more than that of a regular conventional workshop fl oor. They are easy to maintain, and easy to clean. Their usage should be encouraged in the automobile industry, as fl oors with high chemical resistance can prevent the health of the workers from being compromised. ■

Mar-Apr ’1230

HYGIENE

By Swarnendu Biswas

Schools NeedMore Hygiene

The state of sanitation in Indian schools is a matter of serious and immediate concern. Beyond the

glitter of some select high-end private schools; predominantly located in the metropolitan cities,

which are characterised by top-of-the-line hygienic standards, there are a plethora of schools in India where a clean toilet or for that matter even a toilet is a luxury. According to a recent study by UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation,

Hygiene (WASH) programme, nearly 3 crore school children in India do not have access to toilet facilities.

According to the same study, though the proportion of schools in India with toilet facility has enhanced

31Mar-Apr ’12

HYGIENE

from 50 percent to nearly 75 percent within the last five years, only 60 percent of schools in the country are equipped with girls’ toilets. In fact, if hygiene in schools is a neglected area, feminine hygiene in schools is perhaps the focus of this appalling and perpetuating crime against our future. One can very well imagine the plight of menstruating girls in schools without usable toilets.

This sordid fact is illustrated by another nationwide survey in the recent years. According to a nationwide survey conducted on the condition of schools and school children by an NGO named Pratham in 2009, four out of ten government primary schools were found to be not having the basic facility of separate toilets for girls.

Comprising Sanitation No wonder, the lack of proper

toilet facilities compels many girls in rural India to drop out from schools, thereby leading to a huge potential loss to our economy and society. There are empirical studies pointing to the fact that parents are not very enthusiastic to send their children, especially their girl children to schools where there is no provision for toilet facilities. So we can easily infer that the lack of sanitation in schools not only compromises on the children’s health, making them susceptible to many diseases, but also affects their parents’ attitude towards education.

However, the rampant lack of clean toilet facilities is not the only cause of worry as far as sanitation in Indian schools is concerned. Sometimes even more basic element of sanitation is often neglected in our schools. According to the figures of

WASH, 6.50 million Indian children or 3.46 percent of the total number of children enrolled in schools do not have access to drinking water. Now this is what you call an emerging superpower!

The 2009 survey by Pratham titled ‘Assessment Survey Evaluation Research 2009,’ showed that water was available in only 75 percent of government primary schools and 81 percent of upper primary schools. It doesn’t deserve a mention that the grim situation as portrayed by the NGO has very little chance of improving drastically in this short span of three years. As per a UNICEF study, though 93 percent schools in India have drinking water facility but only 82 percent of the schools in the country have access to improved drinking water, while it is functional in only 79 percent schools.

Though we have the laws in place to counter this sheer callousness against our future and humanity, but without collective social conscience laws are of little use, especially in a predominantly poor, feudalistic and developing country like India, where compulsions are adequately complemented by ignorance and illiteracy.

Right to Education Act (RTE) entails that all schools should have separate toilets for boys and girls and adequate safe drinking water facility, but the ground reality is much different from the legislation. Even the Supreme Court came out with a ruling in December 2011, where it stated that all schools must provide toilet facilities and the denial of basic right to water and toilet ‘clearly violates the right to free and compulsory education.’ In January of

Mar-Apr ’1232

HYGIENE

this year, the apex court extended its December 31 deadline for the states and union territories of providing for separate permanent toilets for boys and girls in all their schools, to March 31.

But when will the elusive deadline of having clean separate toilets for boys and girls across all schools of India be achieved is a question that doesn’t yield easy answer. Are we — the state, civil society and the corporates — giving heed to this pressing concern? Are we likely to sit up and upgrade the sanitation quality of our neglected educational institutions in the near future?

An Apathetic ScenarioTo realise the apathy of our

government towards sanitation we do not have to go deep and far into the hinterland of India. According to R. Venkata Reddy, national education coordinator of an NGO named MV Foundation, as per their estimates, over 47,000 government schools in Andhra Pradesh are devoid of toilet facilities. There are 76,000 government schools across the state having the cyber city Hyderabad. Maharashtra, another so called developed state, had 12,746 schools without toilet facility for girls by as late as January 2012. By the same period, 8 percent of Maharashtra’s schools did not have toilet facility for boys.

Recently, a study on the condition

of toilets in Delhi’s government schools has revealed that we are compromising on the health and hygiene of lakhs of school going children in the capital. An eye-opener of a survey that was carried out across 318 toilets in 44 schools during January and February of this year by Alliance For People’s Rights & its Associates with support from CRY, has revealed that many government schools in the capital are lacking in terms of even basic hygienic amenities.

37 percent of the schools visited through the survey were having unclean and spotted toilets, or their toilets were in a state that made them unusable for children. According to the survey, in 21 percent of the schools covered, the toilets were laden with infrastructural lacunae such as blocked sewerage lines, broken doors or cracked walls. It is startling that many school children in Delhi even today have to urinate amidst nature. Now imagine the plight of the girl students in such a context! Yes, the survey also found that many toilets in the schools of Delhi were even lacking mugs or buckets.

What is more alarming is that fifteen percent of the toilets covered in the survey were found to be specially reserved for the school staff, which the students were barred from using. In the 85 percent of schools covered in the survey, common toilets

were shared by the staff and the students. Only 39 percent of the schools covered in the survey undertook cleaning of their toilets on a regular basis, though most of those schools in the survey had permanent cleaning staff. Yes, this happens in Delhi too.

In the recent past, 16 NGOs from Delhi Right to Education Forum conducted an audit of 60 government schools in the capital. The findings of the audit were expectedly dismal. The audit revealed that children as well as their teachers faced problems on a daily basis in getting access to clean toilets and regular water supply. Besides dirty toilets and dry taps, labourers were found

lounging in many of the school premises of the capital as a result of ongoing construction work in those schools. The audit also showcased the shortage of cleaning staff in those Delhi schools covered under the survey.

If such was the situation of hygiene in a great many schools in the capital by as late as late 2011 and early 2012, one can very well imagine the state of hygiene and cleanliness in schools across remote rural areas of the country. Surprisingly, even after sixty-five years of independence, we are showing remarkable tolerance towards schools functioning in tents; often without water, toilets or even blackboards, and in some rare cases, even without teachers. That not only reflects the state’s but also civil society’s pathetic concerns towards hygiene and education.

Healthy Measures The question is what needs to be

done to address the sorry state of sanitation infrastructure in schools, as evident in the capital and as well as the remote areas of the country. It seems that the need of the hour is a stringent set of legislations on minimum sanitation standards in schools, more particularly with reference to feminine hygiene, drinking water and toilet facilities. These legislations should be coupled with exacting execution of those

33Mar-Apr ’12

HYGIENE

legislations. However, whether the Union and the state governments would muster the requisite political will to make such a legislative framework a ground reality or not is a matter involving considerable skepticism.

At the same time, legislations are hardly enough unless we develop a concerted positive attitude towards sanitation in schools, which is the edifice of our educational system. First and foremost, the government should increase the budget on

education. Though India has proposed almost 18 percent increase in its education budget in this ongoing fiscal as compared to its last fiscal, and the focus of this education budget is on school education, but still a lot more investment needs to be directed towards education if we want to see more schools with quality sanitation infrastructure, and also immediate improvements in the dilapidated or pathetic sanitation infrastructure in a plethora of schools scattered across rural and as well as urban India.

Not only a great many schools in India are in dire need of good clean toilets with adequate water supply, impressive sanitation infrastructure and an array of necessary sanitary amenities, not only do they need clean drinking water, but the maintenance of sanitation of toilets in schools, which often invite heavy footfalls, is also a cause of concern.

Measures should be adopted to ensure that c leaning and maintenance of school toilets are done by qualified permanent or

contractual housekeeping staff. Yes, parents of students in most of the cases, particularly those living in rural areas and in urban slums, would not be able to finance the maintenance costs of these school toilets, but it is necessary that cleanliness and hygiene is not only introduced but is also strictly maintained in schools, if we want to give emphasis to education. The requisite funding for this exercise could be borne by the government and the corporate sector together.

Furthermore, a separate funding should be allocated by our state governments (as health is a state subject) to focus on the feminine hygiene of the school going girls, particularly those who are likely to fall in the menstruating age. For them free distribution of sanitary napkins should be provided.

This proposed measure can assume great significance in the context of a survey carried out by global information and measurement company AC Nielson, and reviewed and endorsed by the NGO named Plan India, where it was unearthed that almost 68 percent of rural women in India cannot afford sanitary napkins. The study, which is based on a comprehensive nationwide survey carried on 1033 women of menstrual age and 151 gynaecologists, revealed that only 12 percent of the total number of 355 million menstruating population in the country use sanitary napkins.

The survey revealed extremely low levels of feminine hygiene care in the country, from which we can

estimate the reality of abysmal standards of feminine hygiene in majority of our schools. According to the report, due to inadequate menstrual care the adolescent girls in rural India are unable to attend up to 50 days of schooling in a year. In this context, awareness building exercises for feminine hygiene in Indian schools is also the need of the hour, so that these girls step into womanhood with the knowledge of taking care of their health and hygiene, which often their families do neglect.

Hygiene as Curriculum The parents of the children should

be much more vocal in demanding cleanliness in the schools where they send their children to, for in India’s welfare sector without a sustained clamour any supply is not likely to be met. If basic hygienic standards are not met in the schools; that is if separate toilets for boys and girls with basic facilities, and the provision of adequate supply of clean drinking water are not provided, if sanitation infrastructure is on the verge of crumbling and nothing is being done about it, parents of those children should take their concerns to the concerned authorities in the government without delay, and induce our slumbering public machinery to take corrective actions.

At the same time, basic health and hygiene should be introduced as part of the curriculum in schools so that the importance of cleanliness and hygiene is instilled among the impressionable minds, which in turn would influence them to adhere to basic hygienic standards in their adult lives; an essential feature of global civic life which is sadly not that commonly found in India.

Together, we have to adopt a range of lega l , soc ia l and educational measures to inculcate the practice and spirit of carrying exacting standards of hygiene in our schools. This we should do not only for maintaining and if possible, for improving the physical health of our school going children who are our future, but also to give a fillip to the education process as a whole. ■

Mar-Apr ’1234

PEST MANAGEMENT

How to Outsource Pest ManagementF

or large properties like hotels, healthcare facilities and even the shopping mal ls , keeping an in-

house housekeeping staff is now an indispensable need. Yet, for implementing integrated pest

management, or for that matter green pest management, which are now considered environment friendly measures for keeping the pest menace away from the property, these properties often seek professional help. It is not even uncommon to see a lot many of these properties/organisations/institutions outsourc ing the job of pest management to an outside agency. Call it convenience or efficiency, outsourcing pest management is in fact becoming the trend among both large and small institutions/properties/organisations.

While the sheer magnitude of their day-to-day work compel the large institutions/properties/organisations to outsource their pest management job, the small sized

institutions/properties/organisations also often tend to outsource the job as they do not fi nd it cost-effi cient to maintain a dedicated housekeeping staff. Moreover, the job of pest management is a tricky one, and requires professional expertise. Often it cannot be handled by untrained persons or regular housekeeping staff of a hotel or an offi ce. However, specialised pest control professionals, with their expertise, can prevent or eliminate the pests without intimidating or offending the valued guests, clients or the regular staff.

Outsourcing the pest management job therefore can be quite benefi cial for an organisation/property/institution. However, selecting the right service provider is often not easy with more and more players entering the fray, as this may create confusion. Understanding the specifi c nature of one’s needs and the services offered by the professional player is therefore essential for ensuring effective pest management exercise. Making the right decision often involves several steps.

T h e E d g e o f R i g h t Information

Pest management is a complex task and the requirements of different organisations/properties/institutions are also often very different. Therefore the client fi rst needs to evaluate the requirements of her/his organisation/institution/property and decide for what part of her/his organisation/property/institution the pest management is a priority. Once the in-house evaluation is completed, the search for the right service provider should begin. But before zeroing in on one particular service provider, it is always preferable to get suggestions from a few qualified friends and associates. For choosing the best possible service provider, one may gather some information that can shed light on the quality and reliability of the service provider. The information gathered should answer the following questions: • Whether the service provider

specialise in commercial pest control?

• Whether the service provider of fers envi ronment f r iend ly solutions?

• If there is a referee (a person or an organisation who refers the given pest control organisation to the client) involved, then for what duration and how long ago the referee utilised the services of the given pest control management fi rm?

• Whether the workers of the pest control organisation are adequately trained to deliver the right kind of services?

• Whether the service provider

How to Outsource How to Outsource

Fhouse housekeeping staff is now an indispensable need. Yet, for implementing integrated pest

Mar-Apr ’1234

35Mar-Apr ’12

PEST MANAGEMENT

How to Outsource Pest Management

guarantees satisfaction? • How would the service provider

respond to an emergency situation? Would it charge extra in case an emergency situation arises?

• Whether the service provider i s ready to prov ide enough documentation on the basis of which a fair review of its services can be carried out?

• Whether the service provider is willing to accept an independent auditor?

Short Listing the ContractorsOnce the relevant information is

collected and necessary research is being conducted, the next steps are to shortlist the service providers, and contact them directly. At this stage, one may validate the information collected from indirect sources by the service providers themselves. During the process of short listing, it is important to ensure that all the service providers who are under consideration have their branch offi ces in all the cities where you require their services.

Proximity of at least a branch office of the service provider to the facility where the client wants to undertake pest management exercise could be immensely useful in the times of emergency. If the client (for example you) is thinking of undertaking an integrated pest management solution, she/he should ensure that the pest management firm to which the job would be outsourced, would provide training at regular intervals to the in-house

staff. As advanced pest control methods such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is not a quick fi x method, it is essential to inquire whether the service provider is willing to provide the necessary training to your in-house housekeeping staff for implementing all the procedures effectively and maintaining them properly. It is also important to make sure that the service provider has the required licenses and is covered by the liability insurance.

Job AssignmentIt is only after short listing

the service providers that you should invite them to visit the site for preparing the proposal. For interacting with the inspecting team, you need to assign a team which is adept at the job and possesses excellent communication skill, for sometime a small miscommunication may lead to much change in the design and budget proposal. The interaction in the site tour also offers you to learn a few additional facts about the service providers and their level of commitment to the job. It is also an opportune moment to poke a few previously unasked questions and see if they can provide some additional insights into the approach of integrated pest management.

While considering the proposals it is important to understand that the highest charging provider may not be the best one. It is specifi cally true if you have decided to go the green way of pest management. What is important here is to understand who is offering you the most intelligent solution at the least cost. Moreover, the service agreement between the facility and the service provider must clearly delineate the responsibility required of both of them. The service agreement should also ideally outline the number of scheduled visits, the level of inspection, adherence to the agreed principles, submission of written report in case certain suggested methods are not followed by the facility and the in-house staff, submission of material label copies and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSD), provision of onsite review at least once in every three months, and one review in a year by an

independent auditor.

W o r k i n g i n Tandem

However, it should be clearly borne in mind t h a t m a k i n g I P M successful is not possible only with the one-sided effort o f the service provider. C o o p e r a t i o n o f t h e f a c i l i t y i s equa l l y impor tant f o r implementation of the IPM strategies. Preparing the premises as per the suggestion of the technicians and making them accessible for treatment and inspection is quite vital in this regard.

For a healthcare facility, it is also essential to provide information to the staff and the patients about the pesticides which would be used as part of the pest management program. Getting the staff trained to conduct the cleaning job as suggested by the technicians of the service provider and attending to the defi ciencies in the facility pointed out by the service provider are two other important things that the facility need to attend to with utmost sincerity. At the same time, the facility should also not lose sight of regularly monitoring the contractor’s performance and having candid interaction with the contractor.

However, this is not to suggest that the Facility Managers/owners of the properties should reach an immediate conclusion about the service provider’s performance by simply looking at the presence of pests at the premises, within a week after hiring the service provider. This is especially true when a green approach to pest management (a form of integrated pest management) is adopted as the green methods of pest control seek to provide a long-term solution to the persistent problem of pests. The long-term evaluation criteria should therefore be clearly defi ned for carrying out an objective review of pest management solutions. Therefore, a yearly renewal of contract is benefi cial for both the service provider and the Facility Managers. ■

35Mar-Apr ’12

Mar-Apr ’1236

HEALTH

In the light of the recent incident of the Madras High Court bench putting a cap on the

Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the

Commissioner of Food Safety in Chennai from implementing certain provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the regulations framed under it with respect to members of Madurai Managar Anaiththu Vanigargal Nala Sangam (MMAVNS), Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association (TNFMA), and Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI), concerns have now been raised about some provisions of this law by the industry.

The three petitioners, Madurai Managar Anaiththu Vanigargal Nala Sangam (MMAVNS), Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association (TNFMA), and Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TNCCI) are up in arms against Sections 50 to 65 of the Act which stipulate the penalties that could be imposed for manufacturing and selling sub-standard food, misbranded food, food containing

Challenges to Food Safety

adulterated matter and for issuing misleading advertisements.

However, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 has been designed to address several issues relating to food safety under one umbrella so that it can be applied uniformly throughout the country. The former Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) CEO, V N Gaur, said earlier this year that to implement the law in letter and spirit, fund requirements for the 12th Plan have been projected to the government. There are heads under which the Union shall be called upon to implement schemes viz, e-governance, awareness generation, trainings and laboratory strengthening, etc. He also informed that there would be special focus on food safety plans at the level of local bodies and Panchayat.

The nodal agency, FSSAI, is empowered to recognise any agency to conduct food safety audits based on food safety management systems consisting of good manufacturing practices, good hygienic practices, hazard analysis and critical control points or any other such measures specifi ed by regulation.

“This Act gives great importance for ensuring a very safe food product to consumers by providing quicker disposal of cases within the state. Punishments meted out are very severe which would make the retailer/wholesaler more cautious in their dealings. The standards for quality and safety laid down in this Act are harmonised standards and applicable throughout the country,” said Dr V. Prakash, Acting Director, Central

Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore.

Food Safety Measures Food safety is a very pertinent

issue today, especially in the context of Indian food & beverage industry. It is because food hygiene and food safety standards are not very high in India except for some pockets of excellence, which are exceptions rather than the rule. Rampant negligence on sanitation and hygienic issues has contributed to illness and deaths in our country, which besides their humanitarian fallouts, have also resulted in the loss of productive human resources for the economy. Food hygiene is essentially an attitude, which should start from the home and includes aspects like cleaning, storage, cooking, serving, etc.

In terms of cooking, it should be done in clean surroundings using clean utensils. It is very important that raw food is thoroughly cleaned and washed with water before it is cooked. Serving of food is also an important area in food safety measures. The place where the food is served and the utensils on which it is served must be properly cleaned. Utensils should also be cleaned and washed with water and a good disinfectant should be applied before food is served on them.

In homes where there are refrigeration facilities available, cooked food storage is not much of a problem as in a refrigerator food can be stored safely for 3-4 days without getting spoilt. However, sadly the majority of Indian homes still do not have refrigeration facilities.

By Kanishk Gupta

Family Welfare and the

Commissioner of Food Safety in Chennai from implementing

designed to address several issues relating to food safety under one umbrella so that it can be applied uniformly throughout the country. The former Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) CEO, V N Gaur, said earlier this year that to implement the law in letter and spirit, fund requirements for the 12th Plan have been projected to the government. There are heads under which the Union shall be called upon to implement schemes viz, e-governance, awareness generation, trainings and laboratory strengthening, etc. He also informed

Mar-Apr ’1236

37Mar-Apr ’12

HEALTH

Storage of grains and pulses can also present a problem and some amount of preservative should be added to keep them fresh.

Processing of food is another area where food safety measures need to be implemented. In the factory area where food is being processed, one needs to take care that there is no dust, grime, chemicals, insects, fungi, parasites, etc. Besides, the workers who are engaged in the processing of food should also be educated about aspects of personal cleanliness and hygiene. The air quality inside the factory premises should be good and also there must be proper ventilation. During food processing a lot of waste is generated and so there must also be good drainage facilities in the factory premises. Besides these, food must be properly canned and preserved using the latest developments in technology.

Food safety should be an intrinsic part of the food service industry, but sadly it is not so in India, in many cases. Here it needs emphasising that food safety concerns not only have a high probability of plaguing the street food industry. Even an evening of eating out in a sleek, so called fine dining restaurant can compromise your health and well-being, for an elegant décor and impeccably liveried waiters are no guarantee for a clean kitchen.

The management of a restaurant or a hotel should ensure that appropriate food safety management systems are in place and that the staff puts those systems into practice. From the management to the procurers and handlers of the food items in the kitchen, to the Chef who prepares or conceives the exotic dishes, to the persons who serve the food, in fact, everyone in the outlet is responsible for t h e maintenance of exacting standards of food safety in their respective restaurant or hotel.

Myriad Challenges There are various challenges

to the successful implementation of this pan-Indian act. We must remember that food companies in India frequently suffer from poor

transportation facility and erratic power supply. An indication of the severity of the infrastructure problem is the spoilage of 25-30 per cent of the crops each year due to infrastructure bottlenecks. Moreover, the high prices of land and high rentals have impacted the food service sector. The food services industry is highly dependent on manpower whether it is the Chef or the delivery boy and presently, there is a shortage of trained manpower in the Indian food service industry which is serving as a bottleneck for the growth of the industry.

One of the results of these bottlenecks is that prices for food materials tend to be on the higher side with the quality being suspect. Food companies in India also suffer on account of paucity of necessary facilities like high-tech controlled production, on farm grading, packing, cold chains, logistics, warehousing, and integrated processing units. To top it all, there is an inefficient supply chain and shortage of specialised distribution companies for perishable produce/ processed food products.

Succinctly, the implementation of stringent food safety laws would largely depend upon the maturation of the agriculture, food processing and food services industry in India. Only with the growing maturity of the agriculture, food processing and food services industry, only when these industries becomes more organised, we can expect the adherence of the Act on a more thorough basis.

Emerging Opportunities At the same time, there is no

denying the fact that in the present context the growth of the culture of food safety in India is expected to largely follow the growth of the food services industry in the country, which is loaded with many opportunities. With growing urbanisation, rise in income levels and a young population, the outlook for the food services industry in India looks bright. However, it has still to reach its critical mass. While the industry faces several

impediments, one can expect to see better infrastructure facilities in the food services industry in the coming years, which will help the industry achieve high growth.

The growing affluence and higher spending capacity provides a huge opportunity for the Indian food services sector. The middle class has been the largest patron of the food services industry in India and the swelling numbers of the middle class is expected to lead to the sector’s growth. Besides that, an increase in the population below 35 years which eats out frequently provides opportunity for the growth of the foods services industry. With 29 percent of India’s population residing in urban centers and growing fast, higher spending on eating out is expected to benefit the industry.

According to the estimates, approximately 1.5-2 percent of joint families give rise to nuclear families every year. This is also expected to benefit the food services industry. With the number of women who are joining work force on the rise, households are expected to increase the frequency of eating out. This is as a result of less time available for working women for household activities, including cooking. This is expected to directly facilitate the growth of the foods services industry in the country.

The opportunities in the Indian food services industry are indeed vast. However, there is a need to improve technology and productivity in order to make the industry become more competitive globally. As the economy grows, the Indian food services industry is expected to offer bigger opportunities to the new as well as the existing players. And with more opportunities and growth in the food services industry, not only the food services industry but also the food processing and food production industry are likely to become more and more organised and accountable. This in turn would facilitate the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 across the food producing, food processing and food services industry in a much more effective manner. ■

37Mar-Apr ’12

Mar-Apr ’1238

PRODUCT PREVIEW

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Hammer Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

Wet/ Dry Vacuum Cleaner Cum Upholstery CleanerThe Model M26 is specially designed for car seats shampooing. It is having a solution tank. Through this the solution or chemical can be sprayed on the car seats. Make the seats completely wet, rub the seats manually and then all the dirty water can be picked up.M26 is a perfect way for cleaning, washing and drying of any type of floor and upholstery, which includes kit-specific extraction accessories. At the same time, this machine works as wet and dry vacuum cleaner too thus making it equally effective for wet / dry vacuum cleaning job.

Aman Cleaning Equipments Pvt. [email protected]

Cleaning Through Micro Fibers Partek offers its Micro Fiber High Performance Cleaning

Cloth, which can make a perceptible change in your cleaning process for the better. It can facilitate you to prevent cross-contamination in a much better way than a conventional cloth. The product has been designed to give you enormous cleaning power with just plain water. The micro fibers in this cleaning cloth are 200 times thinner than hair, which enables them to reach every micro pore of any surface that needs to be cleaned. And when you wash it, the cloth releases dirt really fast, unlike the conventional cotton cloth.

With this cloth, you have no need to use soap or costly detergents, thereby making it an environment-friendly product also. Partek’s micro fiber cloth is available in two types — regular & life. The product comes in four colours; blue, green, red and yellow. Cleaning through this cloth leaves no room for lint, and even if you forget to wash it after use, there will be no bacterial build-up.

Besides the utilitarian, hygienic and environmental aspects, the soft and plush feel of the cloth gives you a unique pleasure while cleaning; without the need for scratching even the delicate surfaces. The micro fiber cloth could last 300 -500 washes, which gives it a durable character.

Nutech Jetting Equipments India Private Limited [email protected]

RAT ULTRASONIC REPELLER Mukti is a completely solid state high technology electronic device

that emits high intensity sound waves on frequencies at which rodents communicate. The sound generated are ‘Fiendish’ in the way that they can penetrate the rodent’s brain and nervous systems and cause fear, discomfort, and anxiety. The discomfort and anxiety caused by the rodent repeller makes the rodent run away from the source of the noise, and leave your premises. Place the Mukti above the floor at three feet height. Mukti can be used outdoors in the HIGH pitch mode. Use walls to ricochet the sound waves so as to get better coverage. In the LOW and LOUD pitch modes, the sound pattern produced is flat ‘teardrop’, about 30 meters long and 21 meters wide (100 X 70). High frequency sounds do not pass through walls & only slightly through curtains. The speaker should not be exposed directly to rain or sprinklers.

Giriraj [email protected]

Sanitising Hands, Cleanly EcoGreen Health & Hygiene Pvt. Ltd. has come up with an instant hand sanitiser. It will help in eliminating 99.99 percent of the most common germs within its application of 10-15 seconds, without drying the skin. Moreover, its usage will leave the hand with no sticky residues. The product is prepared while adhering to the WHO guidelines and has 70 percent alcohol content. This gel-based instant hand sanitiser, known as PuroDrop Instant Hand Sanitizer, is also spruced with added moisturisers and fragrances, and does not splash and vapourise. The product is easy to carry and is convenient for briefcase, table top, automobile, desk drawer, locker, sports bag and many other applications. This user-friendly product can be used anytime, anywhere. The product comes in two packages; the flip top cap bottle, and pump bottle. EcoGreen Health & Hygiene Pvt. Ltd. [email protected]

39Mar-Apr ’12

A D V E R T I S E R S I N D E X

AMAN CLEANING EQUIPMENTS PVT. LTD. ......................27

APPLIANCES EMPORIUM ......................21

ATLANTIC PASTE & GLUE CO., INC. ......................05

DIVERSEY INDIA PVT. LTD. ......................01

FINAL TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD. ......................15

FRESH AIR (INDIA) PVT. LTD. ......................17

HELPLINE FACILITY MANAGEMENT PVT. LTD. ......................06

IFB INDUSTRIES LTD. ......................09

INVENTA CLEANTEC PVT. LTD. ......................19, 25

* BC - BACK COVER * GF-GATE FOLD * FIC - FRONT INSIDE COVER * BIC - BACK INSIDE COVER

COMPANY PAGE NO. COMPANY PAGE NO.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITYBUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

KARCHER CLEANING SYSTEM PVT. LTD. ......................BC

NAVIN POLYCON ......................08

NUTECH JETTING EQUIPMENTS INDIA PVT. LTD. ......................GF

PEST CONTROL (INDIA) PVT. LTD. ......................07

QUARTZ HOME CARE (I) PVT. LTD. ......................04

SATELLITE PLASTIC INDUSTRIES ......................31

SNOOZER BEDDING LTD. ......................FIC

SUPESHINE LAUNDRY SYSTEMS PVT. LTD. ......................11

PRODUCT PREVIEW ......................38

ASKASKASKASKASK FOR YOURFOR YOURFOR YOURFOR YOURFOR YOUR

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E-mail: [email protected]

Mar-Apr ’1240

INTERVIEW

By Sharmila Chand

Housekeeping — the Backbone of Hotel Operations

How important in your opinion is housekeeping to hospitality?

Housekeeping is completely indispensable for a hotel. Housekeepers are the unsung heroes but housekeeping happens to be the backbone of hotels. Right from the time the guest enters the hotel through the main door to the time he checks out, housekeeping plays a very important role to create an exceptional experience for the guests.

Quality control should be the mantra of the housekeeper of any property.

What are the new trends in housekeeping? Please comment on the latest housekeeping scenario.

Some of the latest trends in housekeeping in hotels include linen made of bamboo; nano technology of coating the veneers which protects it from dust and dirt settlement; polymer treatments in glass panes; the use of Ezi-Maid bed lifting systems which enables the housekeeper to lift the bed base high enough to do the under bed vacuuming, extensive usage of special micro fi bre cloth for dusting purpose; and application of Optii Keeper, which manages the cleaning schedules, timings, allocations, productivity, and preferences of the guests.

Please name any one tool which has

made the housekeeping operations much easier?

Guestware which enables to keep a record of every room history with ease, is a

wonderful housekeeping tool.

Housekeeping, as complex as the function, requires rigorous training. How much of an emphasis does your hotel place on this?

Training is the key for success to any housekeeping operations. Training should be practical as well as theoretical. Firstly basic training should be given, followed by the secondary stage of training on different chemicals, different machines, how to operate them, etc.

M a r r i o t t e m p h a s i s e s a l o t o n training, which includes soft skills along with on the job and off the job trainings. Everyday, every shift at our property has a fi fteen minutes training session pertaining to housekeeping and every housekeeping associate has a target to complete 80 man-days of core training in a year.

How does India compare with the

international scenario with regard to housekeeping?

Over the years, India has incorporated lots of international standards when it comes to green chemicals, machineries, products, etc. However, the process of manpower productivity is different in different countries.

What elements you take into

account while recruiting staff for the housekeeping department?

I look for honest, smart working people, who have the capability to anticipate guests’ needs. She/he should also be a team player and take the initiative. For me these are the five most important attributes of a housekeeper.

What is the role of the housekeeping

staff in the context of security?A housekeeper has a very important role

to play for the hotel’s security. A housekeeper should be aware of anyone clicking pictures of the hotel or any unattended bags lying on the corridors, of fl oor plans kept on the writing table desk, too many mobile phones of a given guest or any such other suspicious elements. If a guest room is on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode for more than 24 hours, a housekeeper should raise an alarm for the security of the guest as well as of the hotel.

What are the challenges you have to face in your day-to-day job responsibilities?

I have the challenge to keep the team continually motivated as the housekeepers tend to face lack of appreciation.

What do you like about your job?Every new day I get to learn a new thing;

be it from the guests or the associates and that is what I like the most about my job. I meet guests and get to know more about them, their culture, and their beliefs, exercise which I fi nd very enjoyable.

Mar-Apr ’1240

Having a long innings with the Marriott family, Megha Kakroo now plays the role of an Executive Housekeeper with a 331-room property named Courtyard Marriott Mumbai International Airport. Prior to coming to Mumbai, she had extensively worked with the

The Oberoi Group of hotels and has with her six years of experience in the hospitality industry. She spruces her expertise and diverse experience with an impeccable attention to minute details, and with sustained hard work. Over the years, she has honed her skills at the renowned Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development with a specialisation in Housekeeping Management. Armed with a bachelor’s degree from IHM, Kolkata, her hard work, passion and innate proactiveness have earned her many accolades and multiple guest recommendations during her illustrious career.Megha is an ardent trainer for her department as well. She ensures that her

associates regularly get opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. “I listen and observe my associates, based on which I formulate the strategy

to get them more involved, in order to develop them into better professionals,” asserted the lady. With a foresight to understand technology and innovation,

she has contributed towards signifi cantly increasing the hotel’s housekeeping effi ciency. The excerpts of the interview follow:

HThe Oberoi Group of hotels

hospitality industry. She spruces her expertise and diverse experience with an impeccable attention to minute details, and with sustained hard work. Over the years, she has honed her skills at the renowned Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development with a specialisation in Housekeeping Management. Armed with a bachelorwork, passion and innate proactiveness have earned her many accolades and multiple guest recommendations during her illustrious career.Megha is an ardent trainer for her department as well.

associates regularly get opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills. “I listen and observe my associates, based on which I formulate the strategy

to get them more involved, in order to develop them into betterasserted the lady.

she has contributed towards signifi cantly increasing the hoteleffi ciency. The excerpts of the interview follow: