Bengaluru clinic fined Rs 50,000 for biomedical waste violation

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru South City Corporation has imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on a private clinic for allegedly dumping biomedical waste in a public place at Gurappanapalya, citing violations of the Solid Waste Management Rules.

According to the civic body, sanitation workers (pourakarmikas) found biomedical waste dumped near the IBM office in Gurappanapalya on Thursday and immediately alerted marshals. The waste reportedly included used needles, syringes, plasters, injection tubes and empty medicine bottles, raising concerns over public health and environmental safety.

Following the complaint, officials from the Corporation's Solid Waste Management team inspected the site, and they reportedly recovered prescription slips bearing the name of Pulse Poly Clinic, which allegedly helped them identify the source of the biomedical waste.

The civic body alleged that the clinic had disposed of biomedical waste in an open public area instead of handing it over to an authorised biomedical waste treatment and disposal agency, as mandated under the Biomedical Waste Management Rules.

Officials said improper disposal of biomedical waste can expose sanitation workers and the public to infections and environmental hazards, making strict compliance with biomedical waste disposal norms essential.

After verifying the source of the waste, the Bengaluru South City Corporation imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the clinic. The enforcement drive was carried out by the Corporation's solid waste management team under the supervision of BSWML Assistant General Manager Shwetha.

According to Deccan Herald, officials traced the biomedical waste to Pulse Poly Clinic after finding prescription slips at the dumping site. Based on the inspection, the Corporation concluded that the clinic had failed to dispose of the waste through an authorised biomedical waste management agency and imposed the penalty for the alleged violation.