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Reference: HCF's online application ID no. 31700362 (A) dated 10/04/2026.
It is submitted that the hospital falls under large scale orange category (ORANGE/ 3.4 - 201 to 500 bedded HCFs) and earlier has obtained 'consent to operate' under Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 vide no. CTOW/Renewal/LDH2/2022/18364928 dated 06/05/2022 and under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 vide no. CTOA/Renewal/LDH2/2022/18338273 dated 06/05/2022 both valid upto 31/03/2026 for 350 beds.
The Hospital has also obtained authorization under the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 vide no. BMW/Renewal/LDH2/2024/25433660 dated 30/04/2024 valid upto 31/03/2028.
Earlier, the hospital was visited by Er. Rubal Goyal, AEE on 07/03/2025 and it was observed as under:
1. The establishment is a 350 bedded hospital having occupancy about 250 beds as informed by the representative of the HCE.
2. The HCE generates waste water from lab and OT which was first treated with sodium hypo chlorite solution and then sent to STP of capacity 200 KLD for further treatment. The HCE has installed an STP for treatment of wastewater and domestic effluent which comprises of oil and grease trap, tube settler, aeration tank, secondary tube settler, pre-filtration tank, media filters and filter press.
3. All the components of STP were found rusted and required maintenance. Filter press was found abandoned and not in use.
4. STP sludge was stored in hazardous waste storage area in 6 no. PPE bags without any numbering.
5. It has never disposed off its STP sludge. Further, it has only generated 150 Kg sludge till date since last 20 years, which clearly implicate that the HCF is not operating STP regularly.
6. Stagnation of waste water in front of hospital is critical problem due to lower carrying capacity of sewerage system. On the other hand, the subject cited hospital is discharging on an average, treated waste water @ 75 KLD into sewerage system.
Accordingly, the HCE was given personal hearing before the Chief Environmental Engineer, Ludhiana on 16.07.2025 w.r.t notice to issue directions u/s 33-A of the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 alongwith show cause notice for revocation of consent to operate under the Water (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, wherein, it was decided as under:
1. The hospital shall engage Institute of repute or a Chartered Environmental Engineer to assess the adequacy of its existing wastewater treatment system and recommend upgradation measures, if any. The hospital shall submit the engagement letter within 15 days and the detailed study report within two months, i.e., by 15.09.2025.
2. The hospital shall ensure that the ETP / STP shall be operated regularly and efficiently so as to achieve the prescribed standards. All components of the STP, including filter press, aeration system, media filters, and sludge handling arrangements, shall be kept in operational and well-maintained condition at all times. Corroded or non-functional units shall be replaced without delay.
3. The hospital shall constitute an Environmental Management Cell comprising at least one dedicated environmental professional (internal or external) to oversee and ensure the compliance of environmental laws and Consent conditions.
4. The hospital shall establish an in-house laboratory with basic analytical capacity to test parameters of treated effluent including pH, BOD, COD, TSS, and Bio-assay, to ensure regular monitoring of STP performance.
5. The hospital shall implement water-saving fixtures and process modifications as part of water conservation measures to minimize fresh water consumption and wastewater generation.
6. The hospital shall immediately ensure that treated effluent is reused within the premises for gardening, toilet flushing, and other non-potable applications to the maximum possible extent. Only excess treated effluent, after meeting prescribed norms, shall be discharged into the sewer.
7. The hospital shall ensure safe and compliant disposal of STP sludge through an authorized TSDF operator. The existing agreement with M/s Nimbua Greenfield (Punjab) Ltd. shall be activated immediately.
8. Environmental Engineer, Regional Office-2, Ludhiana shall revisit the hospital premises by 15.08.2025, collect fresh samples of treated wastewater, verify the progress made on the above directions and furnish a detailed report along with further recommendations.
Now, the HCE has applied for renewal of ‘consent to operate’ under the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 alongwith requisite documents and fees. The hospital has deposited consent fee of Rs. 250000/- vide e-R no. 865233104 dated 24/02/2026 as Air consent fee, which is adequate upto 31/03/2031 for 350 bedded hospitals (in accordance to the notification vide no. 688 dated 02/03/2017 vide which the consent fee to be deposited by the HCF is as per its bed capacity).
The HCF has already entered into an agreement with by M/s Medicare Environmental Management Pvt. Ltd., Opps. Central Jail, Tajpur Road, Ludhiana for collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste generated by it. The agreement is valid upto 31/03/2028.
Accordingly, the hospital was already visited by the undersigned alongwith Environmental Engineer on 26/02/2026 and during visit, it was observed as under:
1. The establishment is a 350 bedded hospital and it was open during the visit.
2. The HCF generates waste water from lab and OT which was first treated with sodium hypo chlorite solution and then sent to STP for further treatment.
3. The HCF does not carry out laundry within its premises.
4. The HCF has installed an STP cum ETP for treatment of wastewater arising from OT and lab section and domestic effluent at site.
5. The STP cum ETP installed by HCF is based on biological treatment. Its components include: Equalization tank, Oil & Grease Trap, Aeration tank, settling tank, Pre-filtration tank, Sand Filter, Activated carbon filter. The same was in operation during the visit. Filter press is operated manually and was not in operation.
6. During visit, effluent sample was collected from final outlet of STP cum ETP leading sewer and sent to Zonal lab, Ludhiana for analysis.
7. The HCF has installed 2 no. HSD fired boilers of capacity 400000 Kcal/Hour each, which are equipped with stacks of adequate height.
8. It has installed 2 nos. D.G set of capacity 625 KVA each and 03 no. of capacity 500 KVA each, which are equipped with canopies and stacks of adequate heights.
9. The HCF also claimed that the Board of Directors of the HCF are exploring the idea of installing a new STP cum ETP based on the latest technology shortly.
The point wise compliance of hearing decisions is as under:
a. The HCF has not engaged any institute of repute or a Chartered Environmental Engineer to assess the adequacy of its existing wastewater treatment system till date.
b. The effluent samples from the final outlet of STP cum ETP were collected during visit and sent to Zonal lab, Ludhiana for analysis. The components of existing STP cum ETP i.e. aeration tank and the oil and grease trap installed were found in rusted condition. The HCF representative explained that they are in the process of placing order for replacing the existing rusted components of STP cum ETP.
c. The hospital has not constituted an Environmental Management Cell comprising at least one dedicated environmental professional till date.
d. The hospital has an in-house laboratory. However, no record was furnished by the hospital at the time of the visit.
e. The hospital has not implemented any water-saving fixtures and process modifications to minimize fresh water consumption and wastewater generation.
f. The hospital is not reusing the treated effluent within the premises for gardening, toilet flushing, and other non-potable applications to the maximum possible extent.
g. The hospital has not lifted its STP cum ETP sludge since 2020 up to the date of visit to the TSDF operator. The representative of the HCF informed that the TSDF is being regularly followed by them but due to lesser quantity of sludge, the TSDF is not lifting the same and would lift only when the quantity is sufficient.
As per the letter issued by ATP, MC, Zone-C, Ludhiana vide no. 202/ATP-C dated 16.07.2013 to the hospital, the site of the hospital falls in Industrial Zone. Further, it is mentioned that the completion plan of the hospital has been approved for hospital purposes vide no. 2015 dated 09/02/2000. As such, the site of the hospital is suitable.
Keeping in view of above mentioned facts, if approved 'Consent to Operate' under Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 may be granted upto 31/03/2031 with the usual conditions of the Board.
Competency: CEE
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