SEIAA cracks the whip on erring private hospitals

Stop-memo issued to two hospitals over violation of eco-laws, report sought on action against three others

Cracking down on private medical institutions violating environmental laws in the construction of buildings, the State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has issued stop-memo to two hospitals and sought an action-taken report from District Collectors on the proceedings recommended against three others.

The last meeting of the authority held here on December 23 decided to stop the construction activities at Mount Zion Medical College, Ezhankulam, Pathanamthitta, and the Genesis Institute of Medical Sciences, Kannur, and initiate legal action.

The authority noted that the Mount Zion Medical College had gone ahead with the construction after its application for Environmental Clearance (EC) was rejected by SEIAA in June 2015.

In the case of the Genesis institute, the vertical expansion of the hospital was found to violate the provisions of the EIA notification-2006 that mandate prior EC for construction of ‘Red category’ hospital buildings with a plinth area of 20,000 sq m and above.

‘Without prior clearance’

The SEIAA meeting took up the issue based on a complaint filed by a Thrissur-based NGO seeking legal action against five hospitals for violation of environmental regulations. The petition had pointed out that many private hospitals had launched the construction or extension of buildings with the building permit issued by local bodies and without prior EC from SEIAA.

The meeting decided to seek a report from District Collectors on the action recommended against the Jubilee Mission Medical College, Thrissur; P.K. Das Institute of Medical Sciences, Palakkad; and VPS Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre, Ernakulam, for the failure to secure EC for construction work.

The authority has also decided to issue show-cause notice to the Mount Sinai Medical College, Adoor, and St. Gregorios Medical Mission Hospital and International Cancer Centre on the same grounds.

Citing an office memorandum issued by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the authority noted that the EIA notification-2006 was being violated with impunity. The meeting resolved to alert the government and local bodies to the violations and launch a campaign to create awareness on the issue.