Lack of incinerator: Tribunal issues Rs1m notice to PIMS, CDA

Parties involved summoned by the IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has lodged a contempt of court plea against PIMS Hospital and Capital Development Authority (CDA) in the environment protection tribunal in a case of not installing an incinerator at the health facility.

Issuing notices, the tribunal has summoned parties involved for hearing on Tuesday (today). Sources said that EPA has filed contempt of court plea against PIMS Hospital and CDA authorities for not making effective arrangements for disposal of waste at the hospital and non-payment of Rs1 million penalty imposed by the tribunal.

They further said that on an application of EPA the tribunal, in January 2018, had ordered the PIMS administration to acquire an incinerator for handling and disposing hospital waste within two months.

However, when the hospital management failed to upgrade the system for handling the hospital waste, the tribunal levied a Rs1 million penalty.

Sources told that case against PIMS hospital for not having incinerator to treat the radioactive, genotoxic, chemical, infections, pathological and pharmaceutical waste at the hospital was registered with the tribunal a few years back.

In the verdict, EPA asked PIMS hospital administration to submit the waste management data to EPA and within 90 days submit the plan for disposal of waste material in the hospital.

Sources told that issuing the notices, EPA has summoned the parties involved for hearing before the tribunal on Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2018.