The Hindu : New Delhi News : Nine hospitals fined for flouting fire safety norms

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 06, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Nine hospitals fined for flouting fire safety norms

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

Given time till June to comply with the guidelines Large government hospitals like Hindu Rao and Kasturba Gandhi too figure in the list

NEW DELHI: : Nine city hospitals figure in the list of building identified for flouting fire safety norms in the Capital. The list has been prepared by the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) which is carrying out an exercise to weed out building that don't adhere to fire safety regulations.

It isn't just private hospitals that figure in the list. Large government hospitals like Hindu Rao and Kasturba Gandhi too figure in the list. The two hospitals, according to the DFS official, have been issued show-cause notices and warned that essential services (water and electricity) would be discontinued in case they do not comply with the guidelines issued by the State Fire Department.

"Since what we are dealing with are `sensitive and essential' service providers, we take a `softer' stand on these institutions. But orders have been issued and the hospitals have been fined Rs. 30,000 and given time till June next month to get their building in order. These are structures that are used by many people and we cannot allow an unsafe building to be operational. The matter is being pursed seriously,'' said the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, DFS, A. K. Sharma.

The other hospitals in the Capital that have made it to the list are Banwarilal Trust Hospital (Panchkuian Road), City Clinic (Aruna Asif Ali Road), Girdhari Lal Hospital (Ajmeri Gate), Sonia Hospital (Nangloi), Dasmesh Hospital (Janak Puri) and Delhi Heart and Lung Hospital (Panchkuian Road).

According to the regulations, all building above 15 metres in the city should comply with the guideline laid down under the fire safety norms.

Speaking about the compliance report of the other listed hospitals, a DFS official added: "In case of Sonia Hospital and Dasmesh Hospital their files have been sent for verification to building sanctioning department, while the Delhi Heart and Lung Hospital has submitted an affidavit in response to the show cause notice issued to them. We aren't here to do case by case policing, our job is to inspect the cases brought before us and follow up the same till the building or structure is safe for use by the general public. It is important to understand that fire happens because of negligence and we have to do all to prevent this.''

In all, the DFS has covered over 2,500 buildings in the phase one of its operations and has issued 763 show cause notices to various institutions including government, non-government establishments, schools, commercial building and the residential buildings, from February this year onward.

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