various hospitals and nursing homes in Jammu and Kashmir (j&k) are violating the Bio-Medical Wastes Management and Handling Rules, 1998. This has resulted in polluting some rivers, lakes and other water bodies and left many green areas infertile or turned them into pools of filth. One such lakes, which has sustained extensive damage, is Srinagar's Anchar Lake, located next to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, the biggest hospital in j&k.

The j&k State Pollution Control Board (spcb) is contemplating legal action against such institutions whose activities are posing a threat to citizens.

A meeting of the advisory committee under the Bio-Medical Wastes Management and Handling Rules, 1998 decided that punitive actions should be taken against such institutions. A spokesperson of spcb said that increasing number of private clinics are throwing their waste into open drains.