The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has directed the Department of Factories and Boilers to initiate action against the Indian Medical Association (IMA)-owned biomedical treatment plant at Manthuruthi, near Malampuzha, for functioning without the mandatory licence for the last 11 years.
Commission member R. Natarajan gave the direction after the department informed him that the plant was functioning without its approval.
The commission also directed IMA to submit all the details and documents sought by the department with immediate effect if it wanted to keep the unit functional.
Forum’s complaint
The action was taken on a complaint filed by P.S. Panicker of Forum for Malabar Rights. Six months ago, the department’s district senior inspector Suraj Krishnann had issued a notice to the plant authorities after conducting an inspection following complaints that it was flouting provisions of the Act. But no remedial measures were taken.
The move assumes significance against the backdrop of a warning by the Health Department that the plant would not be permitted to function if proper steps aimed at scientific disposal of biomedical waste were not taken.
The department informed the commission that it was mandatory that units with more than 10 workers and continuous engagement in processing, manufacturing, and distribution of any product to come within the ambit of the Act.
No licence
Though the inspection revealed that the unit processed used syringes and gloves and transport them to Coimbatore to sell to medical equipment manufacturing units, no licence was obtained.
The inspection had also found lapses on the part of the Pudussery grama panchayat for allowing the unit to function without licence. The Malampuzha plant, better known as Image (IMA Goes Eco-Friendly), which processed biomedical waste from 4,800 hospitals across the State and an equal number of clinical laboratories, had 280 contract labourers to work round-the-clock and they were not covered under any law ensuring compensation for occupational accident.
‘‘Without the department licence, no employee can claim any compensation. The plant was risking the safety of workers at the same time polluting the environment. It also contaminates the Malampuzha reservoir which provides drinking water to many parts of Palakkad,’’ said Mr Panicker.
