POLLUTING HOSPITALS –SIMILAR ACTION NEEDED ON PRIVATE HOSPITALS

The decision of the Karnataka State pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to issue closure notice to 9 polluting government hospitals is a step in the right direction. The hospitals were given enough time to up grade their facilities in respect of treatment of biomedical waste. The concerned authorities in those hospitals have not initiated any steps to set up effluent treatment plant. KSPCB, however is salient about hundreds of private nursing homes and private hospitals which are equally guilty of such charges. There are hospitals with more than 200 beds, without mandatory effluent treatment plants in Bangalore. KSPCB should take action against those hospitals also.