Hospitals flout fire safety norms

Srikakulam: The government and private hospitals in Srikakulamdistrict are violating fire safety norms and neglecting the safety of patients. In all, 156 private and government hospitals are running across the district of them only 76 have been registered at the district medical and health office while remaining 80 hospitals are being run without registration.

Out of 76 registered hospitals and nursing homes only nine hospitals have fire safety equipment and remaining 67 have no such arrangements where patients’ safety was thrown to the wind.

In Srikakulam, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) has no fire safety equipment where hundreds of in and out patients are being treated regularly.

The Central government issued guidelines relating to fire safety norms at apartments, multi-storeyed buildings, auditoriums and theaters in 2005 in the name of national building code (NBC).

According to the NBC norms, water tank with one lakh litres storage capacity is must at hospitals which are running in multi-storeyed buildings, hosepipes also essential to carry water to all floors whenever any untoward incident occurs.

Both automatic and manual fire alarms, sprinklers and fire extinguishers are also essential to mitigate fire damage. The main aim in passing NBC by the Central government is to save lives of people and property in an emergency situation without depending or waiting till the fire fighting vehicles reach the spot.

“We are issuing notices to hospitals which are not following fire safety rules after conducting inspections,” district fire officer M Srinivasa Reddy told The Hans India.

“We will conduct joint inspections with fire department officials and sensitise hospital managements on fire safety,” explained district medical health officer (DM&HO) Dr Sanapala Tirupathi Rao.

“Rs 1 crore funds are required for installing fire safety equipment at RIMS. We have sent proposals to the government for its approval,” RIMS director Dr BLN Prasad said.