Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has upheld the new billing system introduced by the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) for the collection and treatment of biomedical waste in hospitals.
A bench comprising Justices K Lakshman and BR Madhusudhan Rao dismissed a petition filed by the Telangana Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association (THANA), which had challenged a circular issued by the state pollution control board on June 4 last year.
The circular introduced revised billing guidelines in line with directions from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The association argued that the new classification—distinguishing between hospitals with beds and those without—was arbitrary and unfair. However, the court rejected this claim, stating that there was no valid reason to interfere with the policy.
Due process followed before issuing circular: HC
In its judgment, the High Court observed that regulatory authorities had followed due process before issuing the circular. It noted that the guidelines were framed after extensive consultations and a review of practices followed in other states, making the policy reasonable and justified.
The bench also made it clear that it could not approve an alternative system proposed by the association in place of the one adopted by the regulatory bodies.
While dismissing the petition, the court directed both the Central and State Pollution Control Boards to periodically review the billing system and take appropriate decisions within a specified timeframe.
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