India, Aug. 17 -- The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has started inspection of private hospitals across Maharashtra in a phase-wise manner to ensure compliance with environmental regulations. The move, however, has drawn strong opposition from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has questioned the methodology and the choice of agency appointed to carry out the inspections.

According to MPCB officials, a couple of months back, a third-party private firm was appointed by the board to survey all healthcare facility centers in the state. These include hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, veterinary institutions, animal houses, pathological laboratories, blood banks, and other clinical establishments. However, ...