Kalaburagi dist admin slaps Rs 45.8 lakh fine on 136 quacks

Kalaburagi: A total of 136 unqualified and cross-practising people in Kalaburagi district were fined Rs 45.8 lakh on charges of violation of the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment Act 2007. It was decided at a recent meeting chaired by the Kalaburagi DC Fauzia Tarannum. She directed assistant commissioner, tahsildar, taluk panchayat EO, programme coordinator of health department, taluk health officer, district health officers, security inspectors to raid the hospitals and clinics of quacks continuously. Also, action is to be taken on fake, unqualified hospital & clinic owners violating KPME Act who have not deposited the penalty amount imposed during the previous meeting. DC Fauzia instructed the tahsildar to confiscate such properties under the KLR Act and file a case in the court against such clinics and hospitals. Officials of the health department informed that taluk health officials had raided a total of 182 hospitals, of which only 46 people had paid the fine and the remaining 136 people are yet to pay.