Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has said it is "shocking" that three doctors are nominated on a committee to inspect fire facilities in Jabalpur hospitals on the same day they were suspended from another panel.
A fire had broken out on August 1 in New Life Multispecialty Hospital in Damoh Naka in Jabalpur, which killed eight persons and injured 18.
The MP government, in reply to a public interest litigation on restraining authorities from registering new nursing homes and hospitals till mandatory safety and fire norms are fulfilled, told court the inspection report submitted by Dr LN Patel, Dr Nishedh Choudhary and Dr Kamlesh Verma into the August 1 fire was not proper and that they had been removed from the committee the next day.
However, the petitioner and advocate Vishal Baghel told court the three doctors were, on August 2, named on a new committee to inspect all hospitals in Jabalpur against the backdrop of the August 1 fire.
The HC observed that the Chief Medical and Health Officer of Jabalpur had ordered the suspension of the three doctors, but another document submitted as part of the state government's reply stated that these three doctors were on a committee constituted to look into the unfortunate incident.
"It is quite shocking the manner in which the proceedings have been conducted. When orders of suspension are proposed, on the same day the very persons are made members of a (another) committee to enquire into the very issue for which they are being suspended," a division bench comprising Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice DK Paliwal observed on Thursday.
The bench asked the state's Deputy Advocate General to file an affidavit on the issue.
The government advocate told the court notice of suspension had been issued to the three doctors and he would apprise the HC on the next date of hearing as to what has happened.
The HC bench is hearing a PIL seeking direction to restrain the Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) of Jabalpur from giving nod to new nursing homes or hospitals that do not fulfil four mandatory norms, and also to direct health authorities to re-examine documents related to these norms of existing facilities.
The norms comprise possessing building completion certificate from municipal corporations, a 6-meter side space kept vacant for movement of fire engine around the building, fire N0 Objection Certificate from competent authority, as well as parking space prescribed under law, the petitioner and advocate Vishal Baghel said.
The PIL was filed on the basis of information on the website of Directorate Health Services Bhopal and those obtained under the Right to Information from the Jabalpur Municipal Corporation, Baghel said.
As per the RTI, there are 160 private hospitals and nursing homes in Jabalpur, out of which 63 were granted registration between 2019-21, Baghel said.
The civic body's reply to the RTI plea stated that notices were issued to 52 private hospitals and nursing homes for not having fire safety NOC, he added.
The PIL will be heard next on August 22.
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