Biomedical waste: HC orders KSPCB to file report

The High Court has directed the environment officers of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Belagavi division, to file a report on what action they have taken against healthcare units disposing biomedical waste in water bodies in that district.

A division bench of Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice Ram Mohan Reddy also directed the KSPCB officers to file a report on the foetus found in the Hiranyakeshi river near Sankeshwar in Belagavi district in January 2013. On Monday, the bench was hearing a petition filed by Vittal Appanavvar, an RTI activist from Belagavi. It directed the KSPCB officers to inspect the healthcare institutes and file a report along with photographs.

Observing that indiscriminate disposal of biomedical waste is hazardous to health, the bench demanded what action the KSPCB had taken against the errant healthcare units. When KSPCB officers submitted to the court that notices and closure orders had been issued to the units, the bench directed them to visit the said places and file a report by the next date of hearing.

The bench also directed the authorities of Belagavi green environment organisation, which is respondent number five in the matter and entrusted with treating biomedical waste in that city, to be present before the court at the next date of hearing.

The bench ordered that a notice be issued to the organisation if it failed to appear before it. The court warned to slap a criminal case against KSPCB officers if they fail to take action as directed by it.
DH News Service