39 medical establishments in Bengaluru found violating KPME Act

Bengaluru: At least 39 medical establishments in Bengaluru were found to be operating in violation of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (KPME) Act, with many facing fines of up to Rs 1 lakh.

The Bengaluru Urban District Health Officer (DHO) and the head of the KPME Registration and Grievance Redressal Authority held a meeting on Wednesday to address these violations.

At least 16 private establishments — including clinics, hospitals, a physiotherapy centre, and a deaddiction centre — were fined between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1 lakh for various breaches of the KPME Act. The total fines amounted to Rs 7.35 lakh. A skincare clinic has been recommended for seizure.

The authority has also directed the DHO to file FIRs against two medical establishments — a piles clinic in Yelahanka and an alternative medical practitioner in KR Puram.

DHO Dr Ravindra Meti stated that these FIRs would be filed on Thursday.

“In some cases, the violations were committed for the first time.

“Others involved unqualified or unregistered establishments. The fines and actions taken vary based on the severity of the violations,” Dr Meti told DH.

Representatives from three establishments were absent from the meeting.

The hearings for 15 cases have been deferred to the next meeting, while one case has been closed and another transferred to the Karnataka Medical Council.