RTI Requests

 

 

 

 

APPLICATION FORM UNDER RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT, 2005

 

(To be filled in duplicate by Applicant and submitted at the reception  of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, New Delhi)

 

1. Particulars of the Applicant:

 

(a) Name :  Keshav Perumal Keshavelu

 

(b) Address : ‘Vinaya Ashirwad’, No, 933/b,  21^st Main Road, JP Nagar IInd Phase, Bangalore-560078.

 

(c) E-mail address : keshav.keshavelu@gmail.com

 

(d) Phone/Fax. No. :

 

2. Date of Submission of Application: 11 November 2011

 

3. Subject Matter : Environment Clearance for 100 bed  Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM) hospital promoted by FRLHT, Yelahanka, Bangalore under Dept of Ayush, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI.  The founder and promoter is Mr. Sam Petroda, Advisor to the PM in PMO.  At present, he is a Governing Council Member.  The hospital location near the landfill dump is not conducive for treating patients

 

4. Details of Information requested : The 100 bed hospital under the name Institute of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine (I-AIM)  started functioning from October 2010 at Jarakabande Kaval, Yelahanka, Bangalore.

 

a)      A very large landfill for the city garbage is located very close to the hospital thus creating pollution of the local environment (such as contamination of groundwater and/or aquifers by leakage or sinkholes  and residual soil contamination during landfill usage, as well as after landfill closure; off gassing of methane generated by decaying organic wastes  harboring of disease vectors such as rats and flies, particularly from improperly operated landfills, which are common  injuries to wildlife; and simple nuisance problems (e.g., dust, odor, vermin, or noise pollution). Every time the dumping vehicles pass before the hospital an unbearable stench envelopes the whole hospital area and breathing becomes a serious problem for the inpatients and visitors.   The Canteen is located at an elevated first floor and eating food is an experience of hell. When the weather is hot, smog with the stench returns in the nights as well.  Closed doors are no protection.

 

b)      Please provide me a certified copy of Environment Clearance Certificate issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest as the hospital is located in Forest Area.

 

c)       The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act was enacted in 1981 and amended in 1987 to provide for the prevention, control and abatement of air pollution in India under the Ministry of Environment and Forest.  Please provide me a ‘Ambient Air Quality Standard Certificate’ from The Central Pollution Control Board in exercise of its powers conferred under Section 16(2)(h) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)Act, 1981, for this hospital and its surroundings.

 

d)      Medical Waste  of I-AIM is dumped in the same landfill.   Please let me have a copy of the clearance from  The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) formed under The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act 1977 shown as working in Tandem with Central Govt. Ministry of Environment and Forest CPCB for the purpose of Water and Air Pollution.

 

e)      Medicinal plants grown in FRLHT uses the ground water (bore wells).    The leachate discharged by the landfill washes into almost all the water bodies, including three lakes around the site.  The landfill so close will surely contribute to contamination of groundwater and/or aquifers by leakage or sinkholes and residual soil contamination.   Please provide me a certificate from competent authorities (Independent Research Institutions) that the soil is free of contamination and the medicinal plants are non-toxic and also ensure the purity of Ayurveda medicine prepared at FRLHT?

 

f)       According to the villagers around the hospital, the immunity level of children has fallen drastically.   Dengue, chikungunya and cancer cases are on the rise.  Children fall sick every day and the hospital bills are huge.    Please let know what prevention measures are taken by the Ministry  against spread of contagious disease among people getting treated in the hospital.

 

g)      The Landfill Dump was taken on contract from the land owner from the year 2003.  The 100 bed I-AIM hospital started functioning from October 2010.  Please let me know what monitoring and surveillance, one of the important function of the Pollution Control Board under the  Ministry of Environment and Forest,  had carried out around the hospital and provide a copy of such a report. 

 

h)      Besides that  PCB should carry out dissemination of information on Environment Protection and Training to all Stake holders, creation of Awareness being one of the important function of the Board u/s 17 of both the Water (P&CP) and the Air (P&CP) Act, 1981 respectively.   Please let me have a copy of any training schedule published and awareness training conducted among the stake holders.

 

i)      The website www.iaimhealthcare.com  of I-AIM  claims that the hospital is “Set amidst more than 1000 species of medicinal plants away from the humdrum of polluted city life the environment itself aids rapid healing “.  Whereas the environment is full of air pollution.

 

A TNN news report datelined Feb 2, 2011 carried the story of the landfill on the eve of Aero India Air show 2011.   The news confirms that the landfill started in 2003.

 

“Quote”  Mavallipura is a village about 20 km north of Bangalore. In 2003, H Bailappa, a local landowner, leased his land to the erstwhile Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (now BBMP) to dump the city’s solid waste, instead of scientifically recycling the huge dump yard of 600 tone of unsegregated waste.  At the landfill, there is every kind of waste, from carcasses, syringes, massive restaurant waste, and other biomedical waste, chemical waste, huge loads of plastic and other filth on the mountains of filth. The stench spreads even kilometers away from the spot. Packs of dogs and scavenging birds forage in the waste. The massive site is spread across 45 acres, and garbage covers around six acres.   Here, unsegregated waste is dumped, with little or no recycling.  The leachate discharged by the landfill washes into almost all the water bodies, including three lakes around the site. “Unqote”

 

Please read Annexure ‘A’ TNN news report dated 2/2/2011
5. Period to which the information relates : Year 2009 to Current

 

6. Fee enclosed (in cash/DD/Banker’s cheque/IPO) : IPO

 

7. Due date by which information is to be furnished (30 days from

 

submission of application) :  Receipt acknowledgement in 5 days through email.

 

8. How the applicant would like his information to be sent :

 

(a) By post :  By post

 

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