'No response from Jammu govt hospitals on anti-fire measures'

Nine months after the fire services department issued an advisory on putting in place adequate safety measures, government hospitals in Jammu are yet to respond, a top official said.
"Taking cognisance of the fire in Kolkata's AMRI Hospital in December, 2011, our department sent an advisory to various government hospitals around the city, but they have so far not come back to us," Director Fire Services, Jammu, R S Sodhi, told PTI.
According to fire services records, the department had sent an advisory to Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Jammu, and other associated hospitals, including SMGS, Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, Government Hospital Sarwal, Government Dental Hospital, in July last year, but so far none of the institutions has reverted to them.

"Our job is to do the fire audit and advise them to implement all the necessary steps to prevent the happening of any such incident and be ready for any eventuality. It is up to the hospital administration to incorporate all these measures, we can't force them to comply with the norms," he added.
When asked about the advisory by the Fire Department and whether the hospital has applied for the No Objection Certificate (NOC) in this regard, GMCH administration evaded giving a concrete reply.
"I have no knowledge about any advisory by Fire Department. All the things like fire fighting, up-gradation, boilers, air-conditioning, etc... Are controlled, maintained and installed by Executive Engineer Mechanical department. I am not involved in this," Medical Superintendent GMCH, Manoj Chalotra, said.