The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has launched inspections of private hospitals across the state to check compliance with environmental rules. But the move has met strong opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has questioned the way the survey is being carried out and the agency appointed for it.
MPCB has engaged a private firm to visit hospitals, clinics, labs, and other healthcare facilities to collect data as required under the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016. The board says the survey will help update records and ensure proper biomedical waste disposal.
However, IMA leaders say most hospitals are already registered with the MPCB and follow the reporting process. They argue that the survey is poorly planned, causing confusion and disrupting hospital staff. Some hospitals have even refused entry to the survey teams.
The checks should be focused on facilities that are non-compliant, not on those already authorised. The agency also lacks expertise, said Dr. Sanjay Patil of the Hospital Board of India.
MPCB officials, however, insist the survey is necessary. The agency is only collecting information for the board. Hospitals should cooperate so that all facilities follow environmental norms, said a senior official.
