Cuttack, Oct. 6: Orissa High Court has pulled up authorities of seven district headquarters hospitals in the state for not following biological waste management rules.

The court issued show-cause notices to chief district medical officers (CDMOs) of Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal and Sambalpur on Friday asking why criminal proceedings should not be initiated against them for violation of waste management rules.

The court asked them to submit their replies by November 9 and also directed the state pollution control board to submit a report on what it had done to ensure that the hospitals took corrective measures for proper disposal of bio-medical waste.

The division bench of Justice Laxmikanta Mohapatra and Justice Indrajit Mahanty gave these instructions while monitoring the progress in bio-medical waste management, which was brought to the notice of the court through a public interest litigation.

The high court had constituted an advocates’ committee to look into the compliance of the Biomedical Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules in the 30 district headquarters hospitals in the state.

In its report, the committee identified the district headquarter hospitals of Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Deogarh, Dhenkanal and Sambalpur as serious violators of the rules, amicus curiae Pravat Ranjan Dash said today.

The committee found biomedical wastes were not being disposed properly. It has alleged negligence on part of the authorities while segregating biomedical wastes in seven district headquarters hospitals. It has substantiated its allegations with photographic evidence.

The committee also pointed out that that not much has happened despite a criminal proceeding against SCB Medical College Hospital by the state government for not taking adequate measures.

The state pollution control board had filed criminal case against SCB Medical College in September 2010 for violating biomedical wastes management rules.