CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction over the affidavit placed before it on the fire safety measures and installation of CCTV cameras in SCB Medical College Hospital (SCB MCH), Cuttack.
Registrar (administration) of SCB MCH had filed the affidavit in response to a PIL filed in 2015. Maitree Sansad, a city based socio-cultural organisation, had filed the petition alleging the situation in the hospital with over 2,500 bed capacity could lead to disastrous consequences without enough fire extinguishers available.
Though a special team of Orissa Fire Services after a survey of the hospital had asked the authorities to install fire-resistant mechanism in all the departments, the measures were not implemented. Similarly, most of the areas were not covered by CCTV cameras, petition alleged. Advocate Ajay Mohanty argued on behalf of Maitree Sansad.
The affidavit stated that 564 CCTV cameras have been installed on the campus along with fire safety arrangements. However, the court was not happy with the affidavit as it did not indicate the present working condition of the CCTV cameras. The claims about the fire safety measures had also not been certified by the Fire department.
Accordingly, the division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice M S Raman said, “A direction is issued that a technical team of experts will be constituted in respect of the cameras installed and give a status report on their functioning.”
“As regards to the fire safety arrangements, SCB MCH will approach the Fire department to inspect and certify their adequacy and appropriateness,” the bench said while directing to comply with both the orders within four weeks.
The bench posted the matter to March 21 for further consideration while directing SCB MCH to file another affidavit by then.