Submit high-level inquiry report within eight days – Public Health Minister Rajesh Tope’s instructions.
A comprehensive meeting will be held next week to review the disaster management readiness of all the district hospitals in the state. 
Ahmednagar: The fire incident at Ahmednagar District Hospital is very unfortunate. A high-level inquiry into the incident has been ordered to submit a report within eight days, and such incidents should not be repeated. For this, the provision will be made to provide separate funds for fire safety audits. The disaster management preparedness of all the district hospitals will be reviewed, the state’s public health minister Rajesh Tope said here today.
Minister Rajesh Tope visited the intensive care unit of Ahmednagar District Hospital which caught fire today. Then he was talking. Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Council Dr Neelam Gorhe and MLA Sangram Jagtap were present on this occasion.
The report will be submitted in eight days.
Mr Tope said that the Ahmednagar accident was presumed to have been caused by a short circuit. A committee has been set up under the chairmanship of the divisional commissioner to probe the incident at a high level and the committee has been directed to submit a detailed report within eight days. After receiving the report of this committee, the guilty persons will be severely punished.
Help the relatives of the deceased in two days
The state government has announced assistance of Rs 5 lakh and Rs 2 lakh from the state disaster fund to the relatives of the patients who died in the incident. A check of Rs 2 lakh was distributed to the relatives of one of the 11 patients who died today. Relief checks will be issued to the relatives of the remaining patients within two days, he said.
Separate funding for fire safety.
Mr Tope said such incidents should not happen again and again. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has made some suggestions for this. It also deliberately paid attention to the ‘Fire Safety Audit’ of all the district hospitals in the state and discussed providing separate funds for it. Instructions have been given to prepare a proposal for the post of ‘Fire Safety Officer’ in all the district hospitals in the state. Also, health workers will be trained to deal with such incidents and activities like mock drills will be carried out. A detailed meeting has been called next week and a decision will be taken in the winter session to make the funds available.
Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Council Dr Neelam Gorhe said a charge sheet would be filed after proper investigation into the accident. Also, the district administration should take appropriate measures to prepare for disaster management.
