The Times of India               30.08.2013 

Care Hospital violated DCR norms: Nagpur Municipal Corporation to HC

NAGPUR: In an affidavit filed before the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has admitted that Care Hospital located at Ramdaspeth has violated the development control rules (DCR) and that it was repeatedly seeking more time to erect an additional RCC stair case in accordance with the fire safety norms.

In the affidavit filed by assistant director of NMC's town planning department, Chunnilal Zade, informed the court that the revised building plan for Care Hospital sanctioned on March 16, 2013, was not in consonance to DCR as the stipulated conditions were not fulfilled. He asserted that those conditions should have been completed within a month from the date of issue of building permit.

The affidavit was filed by Zade through counsel Surendra Mishra in response to the court's order passed on July 31 while hearing a PIL filed by Dhantoli and Ramdaspeth residents - Anand Narad, Sheshrao Tekade, Rajesh Dawda and Anand Vaidya.

Their counsel Srikant Khandalkar contended that the hospital failed to seek requisite permissions and licenses and had breached building regulations. He sought imposition of permanent restrictions on the hospital preventing it from carrying out any activities without fulfilling the mandatory requirements as per the law.

Zade informed that they had sanctioned the hospital's revised plan on March 13 asking it to strictly comply with DCR norms applicable in the city. The sanction had been given subject to the condition that the respondent would demolish skywalk, oxygen cylinder room, and shed among others, existing in marginal spaces within a month. However, since it failed to comply with the norms, the competent authority is taking necessary action regarding revocation of revised building plan.

Zade added that other condition was to adhere to the fire safety norms for obtaining no-objection certificate (NOC). The hospital was told to construct additional stair case for the emergency purpose within five months for the same. But it failed to comply with the condition within deadline and sought three months extension which was granted accordingly. But even after eight months, Zade informed, the hospital failed to fulfil the obligations. Later, the chief fire officer granted further extension of four months to the hospital starting from August 5.

During last hearing, Care Hospital's medical director Dr Varun Bhargava demanded dismissal of the PIL contending that they had complied with fire safety measures and NMC had also granted them recommendation certificate.