COIMBATORE:Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is planning to set up a sewage treatment plant (STP) to treat sewage water and reuse it for gardening. The 10-MLD plant is likely to come up behind the casualty ward.
About 25 lakh litres of effluents is generated at CMCH everyday. In the absence of an STP, a ‘hypospray’ is used to destroy infectious organisms in the effluents. However, officials opined that it is not effective.
As per the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and a Supreme Court direction, discharging waste water from hospitals without treating it is an offence and all hospitals must have STPs. It also directed to reuse treated water for gardening or other secondary purposes except drinking, bathing and washing etc. Sources told Express that the total project cost is estimated at `1.5 crore and the land behind the casualty ward has been identified to set up the STP.
CMCH Dean Dr A Edwin Joe told Express that once the STP is set up, the hospital would be able to treat the sewage water for reuse.
Meanwhile, environmentalists have criticised the hospital for the delay in installing the facility. “It has been 29 years since the Environment Protection Act was enacted. The hospital management did not take any initiative so far to set up the STP,” said environmental activist Mohan Raj.
Bus Shelter
The lack of a bus shelter in front of CMCH is a cause of concern for patients and their kin. Several requests had been made to the Corporation seeking construction of a bus shelter. But, this has been pending for long.
Most of the people who wait for buses are patients. “After hours of waiting in queues for consulting a doctor, buying medicines and for taking an OP ticket, we come out of CMCH. We are forced to wait in the scorching sun for buses. We don’t demand a very modern bus shelter with fans, drinking water and other facilities in it, but a simple shelter having a roof and few seats to sit on,” said Lakshmi Ammal, an aged woman from Singanallur who came for treatment at the CMCH.
It’s in the rainy season the passengers suffer a lot as they have to run to the nearby shops to stay sans getting rain.
“Whatever be the weather, we have to wait here for a bus. During the rains, sometimes we may not carry an umbrella, we have to cross the road to get into nearby shops for cover from the rain. Again, we have to run back when the bus comes. Though it is troublesome, officials concerned have been turning a blind eye to the situation,” said Sundaravel M, a resident of Gandhipuram.
When contacted, Ravi Chandran, Town Planning Officer (in-charge), Municipal Corporation, said, “The proposal has been under discussion and without much delay we will make it a reality.”