The Centre has directed all states to tighten norms in granting licence to open new medical institutes and ensure fire safety provisions mandatory for launching any such new ventures. The Home Ministry order came weeks after a devastating fire at the Kolkata hospital whcih claimed more than 90 lives.
A Home Minsitry official said that the states have been directed to ensure that hospital building bylaws provide for mandatory fire safety provisions and without such provisions, no licence should be given to anyone for setting up any hospitals. He said that the state governments have been asked to ensure that all hospitals and nursing homes equip their institutions with the required firefighting gadgets to avoid any untoward incident.
The Home Ministry has also directed that mock drills should be conducted in some of these hospitals and nursing homes to see how doctors and nursing staff respond in case of emergency and their patient evacuation plans.
