A year after the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board ordered closure of nine government hospitals following directions from the Lok Adalat for not setting up liquid biomedical waste treatment plants, three hospitals are finally ready with them.
The effluent treatment plants (ETPs) at K.C. General Hospital, Jayanagar General Hospital and Haji Sir Ismail Sait Ghosha Hospital set up at a total cost of Rs. 5.18 crore were inaugurated by Health Minister B. Sriramulu and BWSSB Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu on Thursday.
Speaking after inaugurating the plants, Mr. Sriramulu said recycling of waste water generated in these three hospitals is likely to reduce their monthly water bills substantially.
Doctors' shortage
Admitting there was a shortage of doctors and specialists in rural areas, Mr Sriramulu said: “Although, we have appointed 815 doctors in the last two years, we need 2,000 more. We are calling back all our doctors on deputation in other hospitals and are also taking measures to appoint more. If required, we will amend the Cadre and Recruitment Rules to directly appoint specialists.”
Speaking on water conservation, Mr. Katta Subramanya Naidu said: “We have made rainwater harvesting mandatory for all property owners and have also issued notices to one lakh buildings. We will write to all six lakh property owners in the city,” he said. “If people don't adopt the system on their own, the BWSSB will do it for them and collect the charges through the monthly water bills.” Pollution Control Board Chairperson A.S. Sadashivaiah and former Environment Secretary A.N. Yellappa Reddy also spoke.
Mayor S.K. Nataraj and officials from the Health Department, including Principal Secretary E.V. Ramana Reddy and Director Sumedha Desai, were present.
