Agartala, 21st May 2026: Allegations of irregularities and administrative negligence have emerged from Dharmanagar District Hospital regarding its Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP), which was installed several years ago to manage and treat hazardous liquid waste generated from hospital operations.
According to local allegations and public concerns, the ETP facility—reportedly constructed at a cost of several crores of rupees—has remained non-functional for approximately four to five years. Residents and concerned observers claim that despite installation of key machinery such as motors and processing chambers, the system has never been made operational.
It is further alleged that the plant has not been connected to either electricity or water supply lines since its installation. As a result, the facility is reportedly deteriorating due to prolonged disuse and lack of maintenance.
The purpose of an Effluent Treatment Plant in a hospital setting is to treat contaminated wastewater generated from laboratories, medical procedures, pharmaceuticals, and other clinical activities. Such wastewater may contain harmful chemicals, biological waste, and infectious agents. If left untreated and discharged directly into the environment, it can pose serious risks to public health and ecological systems.
Environmental regulations typically require large healthcare institutions to operate functional ETP systems to ensure proper treatment of biomedical and chemical waste before disposal.
However, in this case, concerns have been raised that despite significant financial investment, the facility has not been commissioned or maintained. Questions are being raised locally about administrative oversight, accountability, and the reasons behind the delay in operationalizing the plant. It has also been alleged that no dedicated personnel have been assigned for its upkeep due to its non-operational status.
Local residents and stakeholders are now calling for a thorough investigation into the matter. They are urging the state health authorities, including the Health Department, to take cognizance of the situation and conduct a detailed inquiry to determine the facts and fix responsibility, if any irregularities are found.
As of now, there has been no official public response from the concerned hospital administration regarding these allegations.
