PIL ON HOSPITAL WASTE IN HIGH COURT

PIL ON HOSPITAL WASTE IN HIGH COURT

The Kerala High Court on Thursday ordered notice on a public interest writ petition

praying to direct the State Government and State Pollution Control Board to give directions to all the officials concerned and all the local self-government institutions to make solid waste disposal systems namely ,bio-chemical incinerators ,bio-gas plant etc., mandatory for new apartments and hospitals. A declaration is also sought by the petitioner, M.K.Haridas that all hospitals should be equipped with bio chemical incinerators as per the bio- medical waste[management and handling]Rules,1998.

The petitioner has invited the attention of the court to the grave failure on the part of the government and Pollution Control Board to control the pollution caused by apartments and hospitals. Huge amount of waste is thrown out to the streets by the inhabitants of the apartments. It is also pointed out that the occupier of any institution generating biomedical waste, which includes hospitals and nursing homes is duty bound to take all steps to ensure that such waste is handled without any adverse effect on human health in compliance with the standards prescribed by the rules.

The petitioner had preferred a letter to the Environmental Engineer of the Pollution Board under the Right to Information act .In response to the same, he received a reply in which it is stated that he buildings which are three storied and more should have approval of the PCB. But till date they have given approval only for 55 buildings in Kochi .So it is admitted that the rest of the High court buildings in Kochi are not properly approved by the board. The board also informed him that none of the hospitals in Kochi city is having incinerators as prescribed under the rules.

Express news service April 13^th 07