The pollution control board has asked two state-run hospitals in Howrah to stop admitting patients “with immediate effect” for violating waste disposal and other norms.

Uluberia Sub-Divisional Hospital and Satyabala Devi ID Hospital have been given a month’s time to get their act together, failing which both will be closed down.

“The suspension of the closure order will be considered only after the healthcare establishment(s) take positive step regarding the treatment of biomedical waste,” stated the order, signed by the board’s member-secretary, Debal Roy.

It states that both hospitals are dumping untreated bio-medical waste and are functioning without the board’s authorisation, which is mandatory under the Biomedical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1974.

“The Uluberia hospital had an authorisation which lapsed a few years ago, while the ID had never applied for it,” said a board official.

The superintendent of the ID hospital, Sujay Ray, was not available for comment.

B.B. Saha, the superintendent of Uluberia hospital, said: “We have received the order and sent it to higher officials.” He, however, admitted that the hospital has no system of treating bio-medical waste.

“The state board asked us to get our waste treated at a private facility, which it helped develop in Howrah’s Belgachhia. But we are yet to receive the health department’s nod on this,” said Saha.

Sources said a team from the board inspected the hospitals in July 2007 and called a meeting with the authorities in November. Another meeting was called in January, but the situation did not improve.

“We are taking steps to comply with the board order,” said Sanchita Bakshi, the director of state health services.

An environment department official, however, pointed out that the two hospitals are not exceptions. “The condition is almost the same at other state-run hospitals.”