Bhopal: Petrol pumps near hospitals make mockery of norms

Bhopal: In a blatant violation of norms, petrol filling stations are running near some hospitals in the city posing a huge threat to the lives of people even as authorities gave a blind eye to it. Air in the immediate vicinity of petrol pumps is often polluted and can have adverse effect on heath

National Highway Authority of India and ministry of petroleum have set certain guidelines to run petrol pump within city. Three hospitals- Bansal, Palliwal and Hamidia have petrol pumps in their vicinity. A petrol pump is adjacent to Palliwal Hospital near ISBT Bus stand. Hamidia Hospital at Royal Market is also very close to a petrol station. A fuel station is just a stone’s throw away from Bansal hospital running at tri-junction leading to Kolar area.

As per the norms, petrol filling stations shall not be sited within a distance of 90 metres from the nearest gate of schools, hospitals, theatres and place of assembly or stadium or such other place of public utility.  Upholding the norm, a division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice Dhananjay Chandrachud of the Bombay High court in a case between St Philomena Convent High School Vs Union of India had quashed the permission given to start a petrol pump near the school. The court had stated: “any new developmental activities should not be done on the cost of endangering the lives of children, men and women. When anyone chooses to house such hazardous establishment like petrol pumps the law must step in and tell them the minimum distance must be maintained.”

Similar, observation was cited in a study by Marta Doval and others published in journal of environment management in the year 2009. Their study found that ‘Some airborne organic compounds – such as benzene, which increases the risk of cancer – have been recorded at petrol stations at levels above the average levels for urban areas where traffic is the primary source of emission.’

This group of environmental scientists advised a ‘minimum’ distance of 50 metres should therefore be maintained between petrol stations and residential areas and 100 metres for ‘especially vulnerable’ facilities such as hospitals, health centres, schools and old people homes. Hundreds of patients from all across the state visit these hospitals which are running here for over a decade in the city. At a given time, there are around 500 to 1000 patients including doctors, nursing and non-nursing staff in a single hospital. Air in the immediate vicinity of these fuel stations is often polluted and can cause health issues.

Talking to the Free Press Bhopal Municipal Corporation additional commissioner, Malika Nigam Nagar said that the petrol pumps were having non-objection certificate required for the building. Stating that the certificates were issued before her appointment, the commissioner, however, accepted that ‘it is dangerous to operate petrol pumps near hospitals’. We are seeing the required safety arrangements at the fuel stations. Besides, the norms for building permission do not specify the minimum distance at which petrol pumps should operate, the commissioner said.

Shift in-charge of Katara Hills petrol pump, Rajesh Mishra, who has been working there for over 14 years admitted saying, “petrol pumps should not operate near a hospital as high risk is involved.” On Saturday, some officials of BMC, Indian Oil Corporation and department of explosive control had come for survey and inspected all arrangements, said Mishra, adding that they have instructed to construct a wall of about 20 feet around the pump and also to gear up other fire safety measures.