In a first conviction for contravention of 'bio-medical waste law' by government-run hospitals in Odisha, a Jagatsinghpurcourt has sentenced Former chief district medical officer (CDMO) to six months in jail. Earlier, the Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) in 2010 filed a case in the court of sub-divisional judicial magistrate (SDJM) in Jagatsinghpur against the then CDMO Nityananda Panda, alleging the district headquarters hospital was dumping untreated biomedical waste in the open. Panda retired from service recently, official sources said. "This is the first conviction in biomedical waste rule violation against any government hospital in Odisha.
Around 25 health institutes, including government medical colleges and hospitals, are facing charges of violation. The cases are in various stages of trial in courts," said lawyer of OSPCB Deb Kishore Kar. Cases are pending…
