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Health institutes urged to segregate biomedical waste

Tuesday, 22 September 2009 01:20 administrator
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The Hindu 22.09.2009

Health institutes urged to segregate biomedical waste

 

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Few hospitals segregate biomedical waste in different coloured bags, based on the nature of each material and hazards it could pose, as prescribed under the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998, said Chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) A.S. Sadashivaiah.

Speaking at a general body meeting of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association here on Sunday, he said many hospitals failed to segregate and place human and anatomical wastes in yellow, sharp objects and tubing in blue or white, and discarded medicines and incinerator ash in black bags.

The KSPCB, which oversees biomedical waste treatment facilities in hospitals in the State, had submitted a report, following which the Lok Adalat of the Karnataka High Court directed the State Government to set up liquid biomedical waste treatment plants in its hospitals in the city.

Mr. Sadashivaiah said the KSPCB also oversaw biomedical waste treatment in 652 small nursing homes and hospitals which had less than 100 beds. Many of these institutions did not have facilities for biomedical waste disposal and destruction of sharp objects such as needles and surgical equipment.

The KSPCB, however, has devised a way to address the problem. “We have started a scheme,” Mr. Sadashivaiah said, “wherein a nursing home can pay one year’s fees and get authorisation for three years. Specialised firms dealing with biomedical waste disposal will regularly visit the authorised nursing homes/hospitals and take away the waste at a prescribed rate. Private hospitals are being motivated to subscribe to this scheme, which is now mandatory,” he said.

He said that once the small health institutions were covered, the KSPCB would cover 11,000 clinics and veterinary hospitals in the city.

Mr. Sadashivaiah said that except for districts such as Bangalore and Mysore, facilities for biomedical waste disposal were yet to improve. Although 23 districts had put in place mechanisms such as incinerators and places for deep burial of waste, they were not up to the prescribed standards. Six districts had no facilities at all, he said.

Hospitals should ensure responsible disposal of waste, he said.

Mr. Sadashivaiah said the KSPCB did not have adequate regulating and monitoring personnel. “There are 200 vacancies for such posts,” he said and added that they were being filled.

Police Commissioner Shankar M. Bidari said that the police had been directed to accept complaints of medical negligence, but not to initiate action without seeking expert advice.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 22 September 2009 01:21
 

LDA sends a proposal to LMC

Monday, 21 September 2009 16:03 administrator
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The Times of India 21.09.2009

LDA sends a proposal to LMC

TNN 21 September 2009, 03:20am IST

LUCKNOW: In a glaring example of lack of coordination between the two departments, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) mooted a proposal which has already been implemented by Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC). The proposal in question is that of imposition of property tax on vacant plots.

The proposal was sent to the department of urban development, only to find its way to a dustbin. In fact, the officials in the department were left puzzled after they got it checked from the municipal corporation.

While LDA vice-chairman, Mukesh Meshram was not available for comments, a senior official said that the proposal was sent with an idea to provide a source of income to municipal bodies which otherwise nag while a colony is handed over to them by development authority.

Principal secretary, urban development, Alok Ranjan confirmed that the idea has been overlooked. "I did receive a letter from the LDA V-C seeking imposition of the said tax on vacant plots. But the LMC is already recovering the said tax. So we overlooked the proposal,'' he said, while talking to TOI on Sunday evening.

A senior official in LMC said that they have been recovering the tax for quite some time. According to LMC rules, the tax is imposed on all vacant plots and is "as reasonable as'' 10 paise per square feet per annum. That is, if one owns a plot of size 1,000 square feet, the owner is required to pay only Rs 100 per annum. "But even that sometimes is unacceptable to people,'' said an LMC official.

Officials said that the tax is categorised on the basis of location, just like house tax. The maximum limit being 25 paise per square feet. "The value is too small to be noticed, officials of LDA perhaps skipped it,'' said the official, jokingly.

Interestingly, LDA also mooted an idea to do away with the Chawkidari Tax sometimes back. But that too was not accepted by the state government, LDA sources said. The tax therefore, continues to be slapped on the plot owners.
 

Municipal corporation divided over house tax agenda

Monday, 21 September 2009 15:58 administrator
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The Times of India 21.09.2009

Municipal corporation divided over house tax agenda

Rajan Walia, TNN 21 September 2009, 02:07am IST

CHANDIGARH: Reverberations of discord on the issue of house tax between municipal corporation (MC) authorities and elected councillors are growing
by the day. Even as the corporation wants to start imposing house tax and include it in the agenda of the forthcoming monthly general house meet for approval, almost all elected councillors don't seem willing to even discuss it in the house.

Inquiries made by The Times of India revealed that the civic body authorities had been contemplating to introduce house tax for residential properties in the city from the past many years.

However, politically-motivated councillors had been regularly opposing the move every time it cropped up for discussion in the house. But this time, the MC has decided to include it in the agenda for the next house meet and the proposal has been forwarded to mayor Kamlesh for approval.

A senior corporation official said, "We have sent the agenda items to the mayor and are awaiting her nod. But, according to our MoU with the Centre, MC needs to generate financial resources to seek funds under the JNNRUM scheme."

He further said, "We cannot wait for long to introduce the house tax or hike the water tariff to avail JNNRUM funds. We may lose on that account."

Meanwhile, councillors from the ruling Congress and the opposition are against imposition of house tax. Stating that she was opposed to the move, mayor Kamlesh spoke in a diplomatic tone, "Let the issue come to me for inclusion in the agenda."

Echoing a similar view, former mayor and SAD-BJP councillor Harjinder Kaur said she too did not favour its imposition. However, contrary to this, senior nominated councillor Dr AP Sanwaria said it was a welcome step. He said, "If we want Central grant under the JNNRUM scheme, we need to impose the mandatory house tax and increase water tariff."

Opposing the move, senior BSP councillor Jatinder Bhatia argued, "What's the need to introduce house tax in UT. It will unnecessarily burden residents. Our authorities have enough funds to run the administration."

Sources said under the prevailing circumstances, it seems quite unlikely that the issue of house tax will come up for discussion in the meeting.

A civic body official said, "The UT administration should intervene in the matter. We cannot afford to lose financial aid under the JNNRUM scheme."
 
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