An estimated 1,800 hospitals in Maharashtra have not yet applied to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for authorisation to dispose off bio medical waste (BMW). Efforts have been initiated to know about the methods used to dispose off such waste as it can lead to a pollution problem of severe magnitude and endanger lives. According to the law, authorisation from MPCB is important for each hospital for proper transportation, storage and disposal of the bio medical waste. Among 12,753 hospitals in the state, 10,624 have authorisation, while 338 hospitals have their authorisation under process. Though notices were sent to unauthorised hospitals in February this year there are many hospitals still to have applied. Therefore it is found that unauthorised hospitals are not abiding by the BMW which may prove to be harmful. "Hospitals are lifesavers, but when the same hospitals fails to abide by the BMW rules, it not only creates pollution problem but it endangers many lives," said Sadhna Mahashabde, social activist and lawyer for MPCB. A committee - Infliction Control Committee - was appointed by the High Court in December 2007 to study if BMW rules are being followed by different hospitals. Exception being everywhere, the committee found few hospitals who are properly following the BMW rules but surprisingly only one government hospital in Mumbai is abiding by the laws, all other hospitals being private. BMW rules were introduced in Maharashtra in 1998 and has proved to be beneficial for many hospitals to improve ways of disposal of waste. A report submitted by this committee, pointed out many loopholes in the working of the hospitals while following BMW rules. Amongst the 20 hospitals visited by the committee it was found that improper segregation is the major drawback in most of the hospitals. It was seen that bio medical waste is usually mixed with the normal garbage. "Most of the hospitals being unaware of the color coding that should be maintained while segregating the waste, more awareness should be spread in each hospitals to avoid the problems caused by improper disposal of bio medical waste," said Mahashabde. She further added that the bio medical wastes categorised such as human anatomical waste, animal waste, waste sharps viz. needles, syringes, blades etc, discarded medicines, solid waste liquid waste are segregated using bags of different colors of red, blue, white black. Importance of such segregation should be thoroughly taught to the class four workers, as they are the ones who usually handle the disposal. MPCB official incharge of implementing the BMW rule Sontakke refused to comment on the issue stating that the matter was subjudice.