THE INDIAN EXPRESS, Mumbai, Published:Aug 5, 2015, 1:04
The BMC notices have picked separate violations for prominent hospitals who now have to answer the civic body,
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has served show-cause notices to 15 private hospitals for flouting norms, amid allegations that infrastructure reserved for women and child care have been turned into multi-speciality health centers. Prominent hospitals who now have to answer the civic body’s notices include Seven Hills and BSES MG hospital in Andheri and the Dhirubhai Ambani Trust operating from the Suryakant Wagal Hospital on Jagannath Shankersheth Road. The notices have picked separate violations for each hospital. Officials said that the Dhirubhai Ambani Trust has not paid property tax of over Rs 2 crore, while Seven Hills has been served a notice for not reserving 25 per cent beds for the economically weaker section as per an agreement with the corporation. Of the seven floors at the Suryakant Wagal Maternity Home, the trust has undertaken the three top floors where it runs geriatric care or senior citizen health care, officials said. An official also said that the trust has vacated the premises a few days ago.
A senior civic official from the health department said, “The show-cause notice were served in July-end. The hospitals have been asked to comply with the norms within a month. Non-compliance will result in termination of agreement with them.” In 2004, BMC entered into an agreement with the private players to run maternity care centres and maintain them under the public-private-partnership (PPP) model. Around 20 BMC-owned lands were handed over to the private parties to run these centres on charity by paying a nominal rent of Rs 1 per square feet. Under High Court directives, in 2014, BMC formed a committee to inspect the hospitals, of which only five were found to be operating as per the terms. Speaking to The Indian Express, Additional Municipal Commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh, in-charge of the health department who also headed the committee, said, “We will bring the case to a logical end and take corrective measures.”
A spokesperson from the Harmony foundation, which is run by the Dhirubhai Ambani Trust, said, “The Harmony for Silvers Interactive Centre (HSIC) has received the tax notice from authorities and have made appropriate representation contesting the same.” When contacted, authorities at Seven Hills hospital said they were unaware of BMC’s notice. Dr Hemlata Arora said, “We have not received any show-cause notice yet.” A senior doctor from the BSES hospital said that the civic body is harassing them by issuing such notices. “We have not violated any norms. Anyone can come, visit this hospital and see how it is operating. We were called for a hearing with the municipal commissioner, which the BMC has delayed twice. Now they have sent a notice that makes no sense.”
