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90% of pvt hospitals in Pimpri-Chinchwad operating sans fire compliance
Over 90% of private hospitals and clinics in Pimpri-Chinchwad are operating without fire compliance, despite the Fire Department's request for mandatory safety measures.
Despite the notable risk posed to the lives of visiting patients and their families, as many as 555 private hospitals and 1,310 private clinics in the twin city of Pimpri-Chinchwad are operating sans fire compliance. The Fire Department of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has also written to the Health Department requesting to refrain from giving nursing homes licences and renewals without the Fire NOC and fire compliance, the officials said.
A senior officer from the Fire Brigade department of PCMC, on anonymity, said, “As per rules of the State government and PCMC the commercial establishments, hospitals, and clinics in Pimpri-Chinchwad must complete mandatory fire compliance and submit ‘Form B’ to the civic body. However, over 90 per cent of private hospitals and clinics in PCMC are functioning sans fire compliance and failed to submit Form B,” the official informed.
The twin city has 617 private hospitals and 1,456 clinics registered with the PCMC. Out of which over 90%, 555 private hospitals and 1,310 private clinics have failed to submit the Form B and Fire NOC and operating sans fire compliance, said the officials.
As per the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Protection Measures Act, 2006 it is mandatory to install firefighting equipment and prevention systems in all buildings. Additionally, as per section 3 (3), the owner or occupier of the building must submit a Fire NOC. The establishments have to submit ‘Form B’ to the local body twice a year (January and July). The certificate indicates that the firefighting system in their buildings is in working condition. This pertains to the maintenance of existing fire prevention and life safety measures in the structure.
Manoj Lonkar, deputy commissioner of PCMC, on January 29 issued a letter to the civic health department requesting to refrain from issuing fresh registration and renewals of Nursing home licences without Fire NOC and Form B. Despite it’s been mandatory to have Fire NOC and submit Form ‘B’ twice in a year the hospitals have failed to follow it, he, said.
“Instructions should be issued by the Health Department to all hospitals to complete the compliance and take Fire NOC,” Lonkar stated.
Confirming the development, Dr Shivaji Dhage, senior medical officer of PCMC, said, it is mandatory for the hospitals to conduct the Fire Audit and provide Fire NOC once.
“The submission of Form ‘B’ twice a year is important as it makes sure all Firefighting equipment is well maintained as prescribed by the Fire Act. However, the hospitals only submit Form B when they approach us for the renewal of licences. We have asked all hospitals and clinics to complete the compliance and submit Form B,” he said.
