The residents of Palode in Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram are up in arms against a proposed bio medical waste treatment plant by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in their panchayat.

The plant is proposed to be constructed by Indian Medical Association Goes Eco-friendly (IMAGE) in a 7-acre land that the association bought in 2011.

Health Minister KK Shylaja has voiced her support for the plant. “Will go ahead with the plant project. It was approved earlier itself in a meet  in which Forest Minister also took part. There is no other option to process hospital waste”.

Dont take away our jobs because of a few black sheep: MCI staffers to PMO

MCI employees have been contemplating the fate of their own jobs in the event of the NMC bill going through.

According to the second provision of Second 58 of the proposed law, once the new body to replace MCI came into effect, services of current employees would be terminated with "immediate effect", and they would be given three months of pay. This clause would have "disastrous consequences" for over 100 regular employees of the MCI.

"The salary that we earn is the only source of livelihood for our families. We emphasise that all employees are working with utmost sincerity and full dedication...merely because of (a) few black sheep, the entire staff cannot and should not be penalised by depriving them of their employment," the letter to the PM by them says.

The employees have also asked the government to either utilise their services in the new commission, or in any other establishment of the government.