Subir Hari Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, and Sarojamma, under secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, had filed separate affidavits before the Lok Adalat on July 23 on the action taken to treat bio-medical liquid waste.

The government stated that the master plan for the treatment of bio-medical liquid waste at 144 taluk hospitals, 182 community health centres and 19 district hospitals will be taken up at a cost of `5.5 crore.

The Department of Health and Family Welfare stated that the Karnataka Health System Development and Reforms Project will undertake the works. It also said that tenders had already been invited.

Solidwaste management

Singh has stated that the Commissioner of Municipal Administration has evolved a scheme of Integrated Solid Waste Management for 218 urban local bodies in the state.

His report states that the project, comprising of segregating, storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste, is being implemented under the 11th Finance Commission.

According to  this scheme, hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, pathology laboratories and blood banks are responsible for collecting, transporting and disposing bio-medical waste they produce. It states the urban local bodies will take steps only to provide land for the development of bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facility.

While a few municipal corporations have already identified land for disposing waste and for slaughter houses, others have been instructed to identify suitable land after  consulting the pollution control board.

 The BBMP has issued instructions to industries and slaughter houses in the city to set up treatment plants and stated that trade licence of those failing to comply would be cancelled.

The government stated before the Lok Adalat that presently, the Palike is handling bio-medical waste in six referral hospitals, 29 maternity homes and 45 daycare centres, out of which all the referral hospitals and maternity homes have established ETPs and they were running  satisfactorily. It also said that the liquid waste generated in the three slaughter houses, coming under the BBMP limits, was being treated in ETPs.