Representatives of the Indian Dental Association (IDA), Puducherry, met Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy seeking an end to the practice of dual registration for dental clinics.
In a memorandum, the IDA sought his intervention in doing away with the norm for establishments having to register with both the health department and the municipality.
The IDA pointed out that several States had already exempted private healthcare facilities, including dental clinics, from obtaining trade licences from corporations/municipalities on the grounds that these facilities were not engaging in a trading activity but were serving the community.
According to the IDA, dental clinics in Puducherry are registered under the Clinical Establishment Act and in addition to paying an annual fee, had also been brought under the Trade Licence Act that required another fee.
Under the existing practice, dental clinics and other healthcare providers such as diagnostic centres, which are registered under the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, have to obtain a trade licence from the civic agency. This system subjected clinics to inspections by both health and civic authorities apart from them having to shell out substantial amounts for biomedical waste management.
The IDA wanted the Union Territory to follow other States that had already put an end to the practice.
