The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has served notices on 64 hospitals of Sindh this month, ordering the submission of their waste management plans.
The notices have been issued on directives from Adviser to Sindh Chief Minister on Law, Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Barrister Murtuza Wahab.
The hospitals have also been directed to strictly follow the Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014 to dispose of their hazardous waste in a safe manner. Sepa has issued notices to 15 hospitals in the Karachi region, 29 in Sukkur, 10 of Larkana, three of Hyderabad and seven in the Mirpurkhas region.
So far, authorised representatives of 10 hospitals of Karachi have appeared before the Sepa director general to brief him about the mechanism they are following to treat their hazardous waste. The deadline given to the remaining five hospitals to submit their plans is not over yet.
Moreover, the managements of three hospitals of Hyderabad, 10 of Sukkur and seven of Mirpurkhas will be called to a personal hearing to define their positions on the waste management practices they follow. Proposals for offering the chance of a personal hearing to them are under process.
Out of 29 hospitals of Sukkur on whom notices have been served, six have submitted their plans which are under review by Sepa to verify if they are in compliant with the Health Waste Management Rules of 2014.
The hospitals found violating Section 14 of Sepa Act 2014 may be fined heavily, and the fine can be further increased to Rs10,000 per day till the violation continues.
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