Odisha HC seeks status report of fire safety measures at SCB

CUTTACK: The issue of fire safety measures at SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCB MCH) in Cuttack is back in focus with Orissa High Court on Wednesday seeking a status report on a seven-year-old PIL.Maitree Sansad, a city based socio-cultural organisation had filed the petition on October 13, 2015. But the petition seeking direction for adequate fire safety arrangement at SCB MCH has since been pending.

The court had not been able to proceed with the PIL as the state government had not filed a reply to the issues raised in the petition. The PIL had come up last on August 1. On that day a state counsel assured the court that the government will file a detailed reply on the issue raised in the petition along with the current position of the fire safety arrangements in SCB MCH.

Allowing it the court had fixed November 9 for hearing on the matter, expecting the state government to file the reply affidavit by then. However, when the petition came up on Wednesday, another state counsel again sought time to file the reply affidavit.The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice MS Raman granted six weeks as “final opportunity” for the state government to file the reply affidavit indicating the present status of fire safety arrangement at the hospital and posted the matter to January 4.

Advocate Ajay Mohanty appeared on behalf of Maitree Sansad. According to the petition the prevailing situation at 2,600 bedded hospital could lead to disastrous consequences with not enough fire extinguishers available.

After a survey of the hospital by a special team Orissa Fire Services, it had asked the concerned authorities to install fire-resistant mechanism in all the departments. But the measures were not implemented, the petition alleged.