Almost all of the hospitals operating in the capital do not have the mechanism to dispose the wastes produced by them and mix them up with metropolis garbage. [break]
KMC said that even some government run hospitals in the capital have been throwing hazardous garbage into metropolis´ containers.
"We have decided not to collect any kind of waste produced by hospitals," said Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, executive officer of KMC, adding, "It their responsibility to manage the waste."
Adhikari said that the KMC is mulling to take legal action against the hospitals that do not take care of the waste produced at their institution.
The Solid Waste Management Act-2068 prohibits the hospital from mixing up hospital waste with household garbage. Adhikari said that even the private firms should not collect hospital waste.
"They have to manage the waste separately if they collect," added Adhikari. He said that private garbage collectors have been dumping hospital waste at metropolis´ land fill sites."
Adhikari concedes that the PM office had sent a letter instructing against mixing hospital waste with household garbage. Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at PMO, said that he has issued warning to metropolis against mixing wastes.
Secretary Baskota said, "The government hospitals cannot escape from their duties of managing waste properly on the pretext of budget crunch."
Baskota said that private hospitals have been adding beds every six months and purchasing equipments worth millions, but not investing on waste management.
KMC chief Adhikari said that the office will ask the hospitals to set things right within a timeframe. "We will take action if they fail to comply," added Adhikari.
Related story
Resolving Kathmandu Valley’s solid waste problems
-1200x560-1781083488.webp)
