MUMBAI, Dec. 6 -- The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued show-cause notices to KEM Hospital and BYL Nair Hospital after finding lapses in the handling of biomedical waste, following complaints from staff and visitors about hazardous dumping practices. In an RTI response dated November 25 to activist Chetan Kothari, the MPCB confirmed that its officials had inspected both hospitals after receiving email complaints in September, and subsequently initiated legal action through its compliance module. Kothari said he was alerted by hospital employees and visitors about biomedical waste being dumped "in an unsafe and unhygienic manner". "I filed the RTI to understand what action was taken. We had assumed the problem was limited to Cooper Hospital, but it extends to other BMC-run hospitals as well. It happens far too often," he said. An MPCB official told HT that the board received "many complaints" from September onward. "We conducted site visits and found issues in the way biomedical waste was being handled. Show-cause notices were issued, and the hospitals were asked to rectify the lapses immediately. We are now conducting surprise inspections, and the hospitals are in the process of complying," the official said. These are not isolated violations. Cooper Hospital was served a show-cause notice in late September for multiple breaches, including unsegregated biomedical waste dumped in dry and wet storage areas, and both sewage treatment plants being non-functional during inspection. The notice, issued under section 33A of the Water Act and section 31A of the Air Act, warned of possible closure orders or disconnection of utilities if the hospital failed to respond within seven days. Cooper Hospital dean Dr Devidas Shetty said the institution had begun corrective measures even before receiving the notice. "There were regular inspections, including one three days ago. MPCB found everything in order and compliant," he said. Inside BMC hospitals, however, staff say systemic issues remain unresolved. A source at one such hospital said the primary bottleneck is irregular collection of biomedical waste by authorised vendors. "Often the waste is not picked up for two to three days. Supervisors have to repeatedly call the vendor," the source said. When contacted, KEM Hospital officials said they were unaware of any notices issued by the MPCB....