15 private hospitals operating sans fire NOC

Gurugram: Even after a major fire tragedy in Gurugram hospital last year, it seems that most of the medical institutions do not give high considerations on the fire safety. The reply to the RTI filed by Mohit Khatana reveals that there are 15 private hospitals in the city that are operating without the fire safety clearance. What seems to even more shocking that even the two sole government hospitals that are situated in Sadar and Sector 10 area also do not have the fire NOC.

It is estimated that there are more than 300 private hospitals and clinics that are operational in the city. According to official sources, most of these institutions have not applied for fire safety clearance. Medical institutions that are operating without the NOC pose life threatening risk to thousands of patients. Since these units are situated in densely populated areas, the difficulty for rescue operations increases as was witnessed in the fire at Sheetla hospital.

According to law, it is mandated that any building that is 15 metres in height must renew their NOC on fire safety after every year, yet most of the public buildings do not adhere to the rules. There are over 200 high-rises that have not renewed their fire NOC.

A major tragedy was averted after the fire broke out at Sheetla hospital in July last year due to short circuit in the AC of the rooms. Quick response by the hospital staff and proximity of the fire brigade station saved lives of more than 40 patients. Most of these patients were admitted in ICU and children ward. Though there were no casualties, two people sustained burn injuries while rescuing the patients.