Nagpur: The Fire and Emergency Services Department of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has declared 148 hospitals in Nagpur as unsafe. The action was initiated after Fire Department personnel from nine stations inspected 424 hospitals within city limits for adherence to firefighting norms. The inspection found that 191 hospitals lacked mandatory firefighting equipment, a local English daily reported.
According to officiating chief fire officer BP Chandankhede, though many property owners initiated the installation of firefighting equipment, many overlooked the suggestions. Hence, the department declared 148 hospital buildings in the city unsafe under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006. The department has also asked the occupants of the structures to vacate the premises.
The highest number of unsafe structures from where hospitals were functioning were found under the jurisdiction of Civil Lines Fire Station. Here, 41 hospitals were declared unsafe, followed by Ganjipeth (36), Sakkardara (25), Lakadganj (12) and Sugat Nagar (11).
Even though Nagpur has emerged as central India’s healthcare hub, fire safety remains a big concern at most hospitals in the city. Many hospitals are potential death traps given the absence of a firefighting mechanism or fire escape arrangement, said media reports.
The survey found around 142 hospitals functioning without sanctioned plans. The firemen concluded that these hospitals might be functioning from residential buildings, which do not have authorized sanctioned plans to run a hospital.
The department has sent the list of all these hospitals to the relevant NMC’s zonal offices and Town Planning Department for appropriate action. After the inspection, the department served notices to the building owners to install firefighting equipment.
The department has also instructed NMC’s Water Works Department and Orange City Water Limited to disconnect water supply to 62 hospital buildings. Similar communication was sent to Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) to snap power supply to these hospitals.
Besides this, the department has also filed police complaints against 69 owners and occupants of different hospital buildings for ignoring fire fighting norms, the data revealed.
The survey also revealed that out of 424 hospitals, 263 buildings had the initial fire no-objection certificate, 109 have complied with firefighting norms and obtained final fitness certificate from the fire department.
