puducherry five private laboratories that performed covid19 tests without obtaining any approval from the government besides overcharging patients and failing to adhere to covid19 protocols in the town were imposed a fine of rs 50000 each by the department of health and family welfare servicesa committee established under the clinical establishments registration and regulation act cea 2010 inspected the laboratories following widespread complaints found that the laboratories overcharged patients for covid19 testing and violated covid19 protocolsmoreover they were performing covid19 tests without obtaining any approval from the government the labs failed to share the test results with the integrated disease surveillance programme idspwing of the health department which monitors covid19 scenario in the territorypuducherry collector purva garg who is also the chairperson of cea termed the violation by the private labs as a serious concern and instructed deputy director public health dr r murali to impose a penalty of rs 50000 each on the five laboratories the penalty must be paid within 30 days of the order which was passed on june 16the health department earlier issued instructions to all the private laboratories medical colleges hospitals and nursing homes in the territory that they must perform covid19 tests only after getting the departments approval and charge at the rates for the rtpcr and rat tests prescribed by the government