india

Updated: May 09, 2019 01:25 IST

Following directives of the Bombay high court (HC), the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in the last two days has sealed 15 clinics in the city for not complying with fire safety norms.

The fire brigade department had served notices to these clinics last week, ordering them to vacate their buildings and shift the patients elsewhere.

At present, more than 100 medical facilities across the city are yet to get their fire no-objection certificate (NOC), of which 20 have not even started the process to seek one. The fire department decided to take action against these 20 clinics in the first phase.

“We had served notices to 20 clinics on May 3. They did not comply with the fire safety norms and had not even applied for the fire NOC,” said Shashikant Kale, chief fire officer, TMC.

Five clinics from Wagale Estate, three from Balkum, four from Mumbra and three from Naupada have been sealed.

“We have formed a committee to inspect the clinics which do not have fire NOC. Action will be taken against the remaining clinics depending on the report of this committee,” said Kale.

The health department said it will also cancel the registration of the clinics which were sealed in the last two days. “We had asked the clinics to vacate their buildings of all patients. They were supposed to make arrangements to shift the patients elsewhere,” said a health department official.

Last month, the HC directed the TMC to seal around 70 Thane clinics which did not have fire NOC.

The court passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by Navi Mumbai resident, Sapan Srivastav.