BERHAMPUR: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has imposed Rs 26 lakh penalty on Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital (MKCG MCH) for violations in its biomedical waste treatment plant (BMWTP) operations.
The penalty followed a CPCB inspection last month that revealed multiple breaches of standard operating procedures and biomedical waste management standards. Despite warnings to improve its systems, the hospital authorities failed to respond, leading to the fine. Failure of payment, the board warned, will attract stringent action as per the National Green Tribunal’s guidelines.
Following the penalty notice, MKCG MCH held an emergency meeting on December 18, deciding to outsource waste treatment to a private agency in Sheragada from January 1.The one-year contract aims to manage approximately one quintal of daily biomedical waste generated by the hospital.
“The CPCB has asked for various information of our BMWTP, which have been furnished. Now we hope that the penalty would be waived,” said Sangram Panda, registrar (administration).
The hospital’s existing BMWTP, established 18 years ago at a cost of Rs 1 crore, faced complaints from nearby residential buildings about smoke and ash emissions. Though the chimney height was increased from 35 feet to 70 feet and a new incinerator worth Rs 1.05 crore was installed in 2023, the facility lacked environmental clearance. As a result the bio-medical waste was treated at the old incinerator, dean Prof Suchitra Dash said adding, they have complied with all norms of CPCB and expect the environmental clearance soon.
The shift to private treatment will increase waste management costs from Rs 4-5 per kg to over Rs 27 per kg, according to unofficial sources.