Seven Ghaziabad hospitals to be fined ₹7.9 crore for bio-wasteviolations
The committee had carried out a detailed inspection of hospitals in June and
recommended levying ECC while sending the report to the National Green Tribunal
(NGT). Officials from the UP pollution control committee and the central pollution control
board were also present during the inspection.
The Uttar Pradesh solid waste monitoring committee on Wednesday recommended
levying a total of ₹7.9 crore as environment compensation costs (ECC) on seven
hospitals, including three government hospitals, in the city for allegedly flouting Bio-
medical Waste Management Rules – 2016.
According to officials, it was found during inspections that the hospitals in general had
unclean surroundings and had not installed effluent treatment plants.(Sakib Ali/HT
Photo)
The committee had carried out a detailed inspection of hospitals in June and
recommended levying ECC while sending the report to the National Green Tribunal
(NGT). Officials from the UP pollution control committee and the central pollution control
board were also present during the inspection.
Committee officials on Wednesday said that five out of the seven hospitals were
recommended for ECC of ₹1.33 crore each while two other private hospitals – in Sanjay
Nagar and Lohiya Nagar – were recommended for an ECC of ₹61 lakh and ₹70.35 lakh,
respectively. Those recommended for ₹1.33 crore penalty each include three
government hospitals – MMG District Hospital, Sanjay Nagar Combined Hospital and
upgraded District Women’s Hospital.
“During inspections we found the hospitals in general had unclean surroundings and
had not installed effluent treatment plants (ETP). The untreated waste was also found
getting discharged into the public sewer system. The segregation, storage and disposal
of biomedical waste were found unsatisfactory in these hospitals,” Judge (retired)
Rajendra Singh, the secretary of the committee, said.
“We have sent the report to the NGT to take cognisance of the issue. The hospitals
must improve their systems and adhere to norms,” he added.
The MMG Hospital is located near Ghanta Ghar and has 200 beds. Committee officials
in their report stated that the hospital is operating without valid consent for water and air
as per the Rules, discharge of untreated trade effluent and sewage in public sewers is
unsatisfactory and no ETP or sewage treatment plant (STP) was installed at the
premises.
In addition to the similar alleged conditions prevailing at four other private hospitals,
committee members also stated that the four were found having unsatisfactory
segregation, storage and disposal of bio-medical waste. The four private hospitals are
located at Pratap Vihar, Sanjay Nagar, Lohiya Nagar and Mohan Nagar.
Committee officials found similar alleged violations by the other two government
hospitals – Sanjay Nagar Combined Hospital and upgraded Women Hospital.
“Regarding ETPS/STPS, the three hospitals have already written to the state
government and will require funds for installation. We will check up about the other
conditions prevailing and ask the three hospitals to comply,” Dr NK Gupta, chief medical
officer, Ghaziabad district, said.
The committee had recently recommended an ECC of ₹48.9 lakh to be levied on the
Ghaziabad municipal corporation for alleged irregularities related to the Pratap Vihar
solid waste dumping site. It had also recommended levying of daily ECC against
agencies if the dumped solid waste at the site is not lifted before December 1, 2020 and
had also asked agencies to furnish ₹5 crore bank guarantee for ensuring smooth
execution of pending works.
When contacted, Dr Deepa Tyagi, chief medical superintendent of the Dictrict Women’s
Hospital, said: “We are treating our effluents properly and we also showed it to the
committee members during inspection. An agency is engaged to take away our
hospital’s bio-medical waste.”
“For other liquid waste related to washing of blood etc, we are first disinfecting it with
equal amount of disinfectant and later diluting it before releasing it into sewers. Liquids
such as urine etc are discharged into sewers. We will give a presentation against the
recommendation of ECC,” she added.
Dr Ravinder Rana, chief medical superintendent of MMG District Hospital, said: “There
is no ETP at our hospital. Initially, we received only ₹12 crore fund for the plant but its
estimate was about ₹20 crore. We have sent a revised estimate for the ETP to our
directorate. The bio-medical waste is disposed of properly. The liquid waste is
disinfected and later disposed of in the sewerage system. We are doing every bit we
can under the available funds.”
