3,585 facilities served notices for violating bio-waste norms

Showcause notices have been issued to 3,585 defaulting health care facilities (HCsF) and common bio-medical waste treatment facilities (CBMWTFs) across the country for violating norms related to handling of bio-medical waste, Environment Ministry said today.
Also 17 hospitals out of the 33 inspected were found to be violating the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 which was blamed on financial crunch.
"As per the annual report on Bio-Medical Waste Management for the year 2011, some of the HCFs are reported to be violating the provisions of the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 as amended. Show cause or directions have been issued to 3585 defaulting HCFs and CBMWTFs," Environment and Forest minister Jayanthi Natarajan informed the Lok Sabha.

In a written reply, she said that as per an order of the Principal Bench of National Green Tribunal (NGT) at New Delhi, 33 hospitals in the national capital were inspected by a Joint Inspection Team (JIT).
"Out of these 33 hospitals, 17 hospitals were found violating the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998. It has not been brought to the notice of the ministry that these hospitals are facing financial crunch to comply with the directions of the NGT," she added.
As per details given by the minister, Maharashtra topped the list with as many as 640 show causes being served in various parts of the state.

In Rajasthan, 556 HCFs were served show cause notices while in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Karnataka 382, 380 and 374 HCFs were served show cause notices respectively.