Kozhikode: The Kozhikode Corporation has slapped a show cause notice on the owner of Fathima Hospital, Abdulla Mohammed, on the charges of dumping biomedical waste on Government acquired land at Thadampattuthazham in the city on Saturday.

Mayor M. Bhaskaran told the council at its meeting on Tuesday that Mr. Mohammed had been asked to explain within 24 hours why his licence for the hospital located on Bank Road should not be cancelled for breach of safe disposal of hospital waste rule. Eighty wells in the vicinity had been chlorinated following the dumping of biomedical waste in the area.

Mr. Bhaskaran said water samples collected from the wells had been sent to the Regional Analytic Laboratory. Wastewater had been sucked out from the contaminated well, said P.T. Rajan, chairman, Standing Committee on Health and Education.

Congress councillor P.K. Mamu Koya raised the issue of the hospitals dumping biomedical waste at the council meeting.

Mr. Bhaskaran pointed out that the private hospitals in the city, which did not have their own proper system for safe disposal of biomedical waste, would be asked to close down. Health officials would check all hospitals in this regard.

Taking part in the deliberations, Communist Party of India (Marxist) councillor P. Divakaran said that many private hospitals were dumping biomedical waste in public places. Residents had earlier blocked the workers of Iqrra Hospital at Malaparamba when they tried to dump untreated biomedical waste into Canoly canal, he said. The corporation officials were reluctant to mention the names of the private hospitals that violated the provisions of biomedical waste management in the routine reports, he said.

The City Council approved a contract for removing the rejected waste from the dumping ground at Njeliyanparamba. As per the contract, Rs.1,800 would be paid for shifting a tonne of garbage. However, the existing contract would continue until the corporation signed the new agreement.

Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef said the construction activities at the trenching grounds at Njeliyanparamba are being expedited. The deadline set for the completion of work is August 30.

At present, 81 per cent of the construction of the pillars is over, platform, 60 per cent and fabrication work, 15 per cent. Over 900 tonnes of garbage was shifted from the site, the Corporation Engineer told the council.

The council decided to amend the gazette notification regarding acquisition of land for construction of a green belt at the trenching grounds.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail