Only 400 out of the 4000 odd healthcare institutions in Mumbai have received Maharashtra Pollution Control Board authorization under the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998. The deadline for installation of any facility for treatment of bio-medical waste in hospitals expired in December 2001.

According to the BMW rules, every "occupier" - a person who has control over the institution or premises generating bio-medical waste in the country -- has to apply to the "prescribed authority" for authorization. The application for authorization has to be accompanied by a fee prescribed by the government of the state or union territory.

The city hospitals which have received the authorization have started sending their waste to the twin chamber incinerator at GTB Hospital in Sewree here which was commissioned two months back. They include 148 private hospitals and 240 municipal hospitals.

According to Principal Scientific Officer Dr A R Supate, there are a good number of hospitals which claim they have incinerators. "We do not have any data on this. We are trying to get it from BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation."

The reluctance of the hospitals to adhere to the BMW rules seems to derive encouragement from the absence of a penalty clause in the rules for hospitals which do not seek authorization. Though direct prosecution of the erring hospitals are allowed, the huge number of hospitals and the social implications of such a penal action (closure of erring hospitals) are what come in the way of action by MPCB, Dr Supate said.

The MPCB had notified through newspapers last year that all hospitals should get authorization. There are about 4000 hospitals in Mumbai excluding small clinics and dispensaries and nursing homes with less than 50 beds.

BMC Chief Engineer, Solid Waste Management, Arun Gor says the civic body charges Rs 18 per kg for transport and treatment of each kilo of biomedical waste. In the first year of operations, the civic body transported and treated the waste for free. There has been a drastic fall in the quantum of waste now collected, he says, due to the cost levied by BMC now. BMC cannot anymore transport it for free, he notes. Barcoding of waste which is compulsory is also being ignored by hospitals. "Why can't the doctors ensure that segregated waste is delivered to us?" he asks.