BHUBANESWAR: Government hospitals in the State just do not care two hoots about pollution norms. While most of them have been denied the mandatory permission from the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), they do not bother applying afresh.
The SPCB has reported the matter to the Director, Public Health (PH) stating that hospitals which have more than 100 beds must secure Consent To Operate (CTO).
At present, 34 of 37 Government hospitals are running without the valid CTO issued by the SPCB. In fact, 30 hospitals had applied online for CTO for 2015-16. After going through their papers, the Board granted valid consent to three while one is still under process. It, however, refused consent to 26 hospitals as none of them has waste water treatment system.
The SPCB asked the 26 to submit time-bound action plan for installation of adequate waste water treatment systems within 15 days. However, none of them has applied so far. Interestingly, barring Vir Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Science and Research, Burla, the other two medical colleges have not sought for the CTO.
The Burla-based institution has its permission valid up to 2021. SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack was refused CTO for 2015-16 and it has not re-applied while the Board has already issued a show cause notice on MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur.
Similarly, Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre at Cuttack was refused the CTO and it has not sought a fresh permission, the SPCB letter to Director, PH stated. AIMS, Bhubaneswar too falls in the same category. The consent of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel PG Institute of Paediatrics was valid till March, 2016 and has not been renewed.
However, Bhubaneswar-based Capital Hospital has its CTO intact till 2020. Almost all district headquarters hospitals are running without a valid CTO.
The pollution control board has already slapped show cause notices on seven of these institutions and more will follow.