The Government-run hospitals in the Capital are sitting on a tinderbox and lack fire clearance. The GTB Hospital is running without no objection certificate (NOC) from Delhi Fire Services.
Delhi Government’s first super-specialty hospital GB Pant, Sushruta Trauma Centre, Sanjay Gandhi Hospital Mangolpuri, Delhi Hedgewar Arogya Sansthan, Aruna Asaf Ali, BB Sur Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital and lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital are among those where fire safety norms are not yet in place. Health Minister Ashok Kumar Walia said that hospitals in Delhi are likely to get fire’s NOC by June 7.
What is more appalling is that these hospitals have been flouting norms despite several reminders being sent by the Director of Fire Services.
The document available with The Pioneer revealed that sanction for an automatic sprinkler system in operation theatre, X-ray room, kitchen block and connecting corridor. Casualty and OPD block is yet to get a fire alarm system.
As far as lNJP Hospital is concerned, sanction has been granted to providing and fixing fire doors in main casualty, operation theatre and special ward block, general ward block, medical block and gynaecology block. The deadline has been fixed in November 2012. Sanction has also been given to providing fire safety to GB Pant Hospital’s Master Amir Chand block, Block A in old building, Block C and academic block.
The Delhi Government runs 37 major hospitals besides nearly 200 dispensaries. PWD is responsible for maintaining all hospital buildings — including fire safety infrastructure in them. Medical Superintendents of almost all the major hospitals attended the meeting besides senior officials of PWD.
“Twenty hospitals listed under the Delhi Government have NOC whereas 10 hospitals including GTB Hospital do not have it. NOC is valid for three years and has to be renewed after that,” said Delhi Fire Services chief AK Sharma.