NEW DELHI: Taking cognizance of the deteriorating condition of the north municipal corporation’s Rajan Babu TB Hospital, Delhi government’s Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain on Saturday ordered an inquiry into the matter.
Jain also ordered the vacation and sealing of the building immediately. He also ordered a probe for further investigation. He said that the pictures of the dilapidated condition of the hospital were disturbing.
“Treating patients in such a condition can prove fatal not only to the patients but also to the doctors and other medical staff there. Despite the fact that the building of that hospital has been declared dangerous by the north municipal corporation being run by the BJP, patients are being treated there. This is the culmination of the corporation’s negligence,” Jain said.
He added: “For the time being, doctors and paramedics have been ordered not to work in the hospital and patients will be shifted to other hospitals.”
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Jain raised questions on the dilapidated condition of the hospital. He said the building’s condition was such that it could collapse any time.
Keeping the safety of the people foremost, Jain issued orders to seal the hospital building immediately. He asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) to investigate the matter and submit his report to the Delhi government.
On December 30, AAP had filed a police complaint against the BJP leaders alleging that they continued to treat patients in the Rajan Babu Hospital despite deteriorating conditions.
Senior AAP leader Vikas Goel after an inspection on December 30 had said: “Today, I along with AAP MLA Atishi discovered that patients were being treated in this hospital despite the hospital’s deplorable state. There will be a significant loss of life and property if an accident occurs in this ramshackle building. The death toll could rise to over 100.”
NDMC panel chief fumes at govt order
The NDMC panel chief, earlier in the day had claimed that “only the facade and two wards” in the multi-storey block were in damaged state, and not the whole building as being alleged by the AAP. Experts at IIT-Roorkee had been commissioned to assess the structural safety of this building of the hospital, he said, even as he alleged that AAP was playing politics over it due to upcoming civic polls.
