Row over burning plastic in Palakkad district hospital

Palakkad: The Youth Congressmen on Tuesday conducted a sit-in protest at the office of the  superintendent of the  Palakkad district hospital  protesting against the violation of the High Court order by burning of six tonnes of plastic waste at the hospital. The YC functionaries said that on September 20 the plastic waste dumped on the hospital compound was burnt and a complaint was filed with the south police  on September 21. But no FIR was registered.

“Again on Tuesday, plastic waste including syringes, was burnt and we had no option other than to lay siege to the office of the superintendent,” YC leader Boban Mattumantha told DC. Later, the DMO and the district panchayat president held talks with the protestors and assured that the plastic would not be burnt again. However, hospital officials were of the opinion that some outsiders or patients might have burnt the plastic which got accumulated.

The said that they will move  the court  as there is an order by the HC banning plastic and rubber in the open space on a petition filed by the River Protection Council in Aluva.  They alleged that the police were sitting on the complaint though they had provided the court order.  The plastic waste was  burnt near the  maternity and gynaecology wards where nearly 100 deliveries take place daily.