Kidwai Hospital Dumps Medical Waste on City Outskirts

BENGALURU: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) will issue notices seeking explanation from Kidwai Institute of Oncology and another private medical care equipment firm at Jayanagar, as the department has found medical prescriptions, bills, files and other bio medical waste from the hospital dumped at a farm and forest land at Jakkalamadagu in Gowribidanur, 10 km from Chikkaballapur district. It is said that mounds of waste were also found at the forest land.

Manjunath, District Environment Officer, Chikkaballapur district, said villagers and owners of the land where the waste was being dumped illegally had brought it to the notice of pollution control board officials.

On December 31, Ram Kumar, a land owner, had complained to officials about the issue, following which the officials visited the spot and ordered immediate clearance of such waste.

“There were over ten truck-loads of municipal solid waste and bio-medical waste was also mixed with it and disposed. We have cleared seven truck loads so far.”

All the bio-medical waste is being sent to Meena Bio Medical Waste Processing Enterprises in Kolar.

As the plant at this place has only 200 kg processing capacitydaily  through their incinerators, it took time.

“The owner said that he was told that some trucks have been dumping waste since last week. Had he alerted us then, we could have nabbed the culprits,” said Manjunath.

Notices to Hospitals

The officer stated that as there is prima facie evidence against the medical establishments, notices will be sent to seeking explanation from them on what is being done with the bio-medical waste. “The hospital may not be aware about how the waste is being disposed by the lower rung staff,” he said.