Delhi's Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday directed fire and public works departments to check the fire safety arrangements in all hospitals in the city and take necessary steps to avert fire accidents.
Jain's instructions came in the wake of the October 17 fire at SUM Hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in which 20 persons were killed and over a hundred injured. Jain, who also holds the portfolio of PWD, issued these instructions at a meeting of senior officials of the fire, public works and the health departments.
"All Delhi hospitals be, it State Government, private or Central, should be free from encroachment for clear passage on staircases, roofs, corridors.
All open areas in the hospitals should be free from dump encroachment as a preventive measure of fire safety," Jain said. He added that a joint committee of fire, PWD and health departments would inspect all the hospitals within seven days