ROURKELA: The tragic fire mishap at a Covid hospital in Gujarat has brought to fore lax fire safety measures at similar facilities in Rourkela and rest of Sundargarh district.
Most of the Covid hospitals in the district do not comply with the safety guidelines. While the administration runs these facilities, the local Fire Services are reluctant to carry out inspection in fear of contracting coronavirus.
Apart from Hi-Tech Covid-19 Hospital at Rourkela, three buildings on BPUT campus house 800-bed Covid care centre. Besides, the district has six such centres at SK DAV (Rourkela), IIPM (Kansbahal) and a Kalyan Mandap (Sundargarh town).
There are numerous temporary medical camps in the district along with the 200-bed NTPC Covid health centre at Sundargarh town.
Sources informed that the Hi-Tech Covid-19 hospital in the city does not have a fire safety certificate. Major facilities like the Hi-Tech Covid hospital, NTPC Covid health centre and the BPUT Covid care centre are only equipped with portable fire extinguishers. Most of the Government buildings designated as Covid care centres are running on the assumption that fire safety guidelines are adhered to under the National Building Code of India.
Sundargarh Collector Nikhil Pawan Kalyan is learnt to have written to the Directorate General of Fire Services, Rourkela Circle for issuance of fire certificates. But apparently, no such certificates have been issued so far.
Deputy fire officer BK Singh said necessary guidelines have been issued basing on the applications received but declined to clarify.
Neither the Collector nor Rourkela ADM Aboli Sunil Naravane replied to queries on the Covid facilities having fire safety certificates.
In November 2019, Odisha Government had included Fire Services under the ‘Mo Sarkar’ initiative and announced that safety certificate would be issued within 18 days of application.