Mysterious fire incident at GB Panth caught admin ‘ill-prepared’
Srinagar: Fire incident that took place at around 4 in morning on Thursday at valley’s lone Childcare hospital, GB Panth, has once again raised serious questions over the preparedness of its administration, which is lacking the fire and emergency station at the hospital.
On Thursday morning, a shed that has been erected outside the main entrance of the hospital caught fire and in no time the shed was raised to ground, however no untoward incident was reported during the blaze.
“Fire broke out mysteriously in the shed outside, and there was total chaos and confusion in the hospital, with attendants from all around the hospital building coming out in panic,” eye witnesses said.
What is pathetic is that the hospital, since its inception is lacking the fire and emergency station which should have been mandatory to meet with any sort of emergency.
“This is total callousness of the administration that they have failed to establish a fire and emergency station at the hospital,” said Zahoor Ahmad, who was at the hospital attending his child.
Imagine if there was a fire incident within the hospital, it would have engulfed the entire hospital till the fire tenders would have reached to the spot, he added.
Pertinently, the space that was meant for the fire and emergency station of the hospital, and which falls directly under the control of the Cantonment Board, has been ‘criminally’ given to the medical shops on lease, shelving the establishment of fire and emergency station at the hospital.
While divulging details about the fire incident, Medical Superintendent Dr. Kanwarjit Singh said that it was the post erected by the police who were monitoring the movement of the public, “it is what caught the fire, the area falls in the control of Cantonment Board,” he said.
Saying that the Principal GMC has sought a detailed report from the police, asking them with use permission did they erect the post, “they had not sought any permission from the hospital administration, and we have sought a report from the concerned SHO,” he said.
Fire was controlled in a time bound manner, and if that would not have happened, it would have spread to the other block as well, he added.
As per sources, there is tussle going on between the Cantonment Board, and the hospital administration, and it is the Cantonment board which is sabotaging the establishment of Fire and Emergency station at the hospital.
“The Cantonment Board is concerned about minting money from the shops that have been given on lease, rather than paving a way for the creation of Fire and Emergency station,” sources said.
KV Correspondent
