KSPCB pulled up for inaction against erring hospitals

During the adalat, Justice K L Manjunath and member Yellappa Reddy sought to know the action taken by the KSPCB against the hospitals in connection with establishing the treatment plant.

The counsel for KSPCB said that nine government hospitals have not done much to establish the plant and other hospitals have completed the work by 90 percent. When some of the hospital authorities tried to convince the bench saying the delay was due to the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Adalat asked the KSPCB to initiate action against those government hospitals and submit a report on June 20.

The Adalat had directed 47 hospitals, both government and private, to set up treatment plants and had given a deadline until May 2009. Following this, eight hospitals have followed the directions by setting up ETP, while 30 are near completion, The nine government hospitals are KC General Hospital, Malleswaram, General Hospital, Jayanagar, Ghousia Hospital Tasker Town, Bowring and Lady Curzon, Minto Hospital, Vani Vilas Hospital, Victoria Hospital and Kidwai memorial hospital.

Hospitals statement

Meanwhile, hospital authorities said, calling for tenders to set up the ETP at Victoria Hospital and Lady Curzon and Bowring Hospital was delayed due to the elections. Tenders were called after the elections and as the bidding rates were high the hospital authorities negotiated.

The authorities wanted to verify the rates with a technical person. BWSSB has reportedly agreed to send a technical person to verify the financial aspects. Work will commence before June 18. KSPCB will inspect the works before June 18 and a status report will be given to the Lok Adalat.

Bellandur

On the delay in supplying water to Bellandur villagers, the Adalat expressed its dissatisfaction over the snail paced work and said, “All the ministers and officers should go and drink the Bellandur lake water. We will all go and stay there.”

The Adalat, which was upset over the uninterrupted pollution, said that the Karnataka Pollution Control Board cannot be a mute spectator.