MPCB told to pull up hospitals violating biomed waste disposal rules

Mumbai, Sep 27 (UNI) The Bombay High Court today directed the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) to survey 366 government hospitals in the State and initiate action against those which were found violating the biomedical waste disposal rules.

A division bench comprising justices R M Lodha and S A Bobde has directed the MPCB to submit a report by December 6.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Consumer Welfare Association alleging that government hospitals were not following proper procedure for disposal of biomedical waste.

Petitioner's counsel Rajiv Chavan today submitted before the court that one government-run hospital in Baramati still uses pit burial method for biomedical waste disposal.

He submitted that as per an affidavit by the State Government on August 31, excluding Mumbai, there were 395 government-run hospitals across the State. But, the biomedical waste disposal methods of only 366 of them were listed. State Government pleader Amjad Sayyed contended that the remaining 29 hospitals were only recently established. The case will come up for further hearing on December 7.

UNI ARM MAZ PDM RK2238