The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has set up a separate committee and zonal level sub-committees to prevent incidents of fire in hospitals, malls, hotels, industrial units, railway station and other public places.
PCMC additional commissioner Prakash Kadam announced the decision on Friday. The Union health ministry has instructed all civic authorities to check the fire systems at public places. As per the guideline, the PCMC organised a meeting at its headquarters on Thursday. There were 24 representatives of hospitals. PCMC chief medical officer Dr Rajshekhar Iyer, fire officers Kiran Gawade and Uday Wankhede and disaster management cell head Omprakash Bahiwal were present in the meeting.
Kadam said, “It was decided at the meeting that all hospitals should prepare their own disaster management action plan and train the staff with the help of fire officials of the PCMC and Yashada.”
The civic administration has asked hospitals to install the fire systems and submit a report to the PCMC. The civic staff will then visit the hospital and check the system.
The PCMC committee has fire and health officers among its members. Four zonal level sub-committees will be activated in the first week of January, said civic officials.
Iyer said, “The PCMC has instructed hospital authorities to use the basement of the hospital in accordance with the rules. Chemicals and other explosive substances should not be stored there.”
The fire brigade has been instructed to carry out drills at public places.
The civic administration is keen to take steps to avoid fire tragedies like the one that struck Kolkata in which 93 people were killed.
