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The Delhi High Court July 3, 2024 ordered the Directorate General of Health Services and the Delhi Development Authority to form a joint committee to inspect all private nursing homes affiliated with the Delhi Medical Association for fire safety compliance. For this, the petitioner must provide a list of member nursing homes to the Directorate General of Health Services.
The committee will create a comprehensive report detailing all non-compliances, excluding structural defects, with fire safety regulations. This report is to be submitted to the court within four weeks of the inspection. The joint committee may issue notices to non-compliant nursing homes, listing the defaults and suggesting remedial measures, allowing a reasonable time for compliance.
The court was informed that the sub-committee set up in 2019 to review fire safety measures in nursing homes has not yet submitted its final report. The court urged the sub-committee to finalise their discussions and submit a report with alternative corrective measures for infrastructural deficiencies to establish an effective mechanism while protecting public interest. The next hearing is scheduled for October 14, 2024.
The petitioners, representing private nursing homes in Delhi, challenged an August 2, 2019 communication from the Directorate General of Health Services, requesting the Delhi Fire Service to audit fire safety measures at private hospitals and nursing homes.
They also sought to nullify a June 6, 2019 show cause notice issued to a nursing home for non-compliance with the National Building Code of India, 2016.
Counsel for the private nursing homes argued that the requirement for a fire safety certificate does not apply to nursing homes on 'mixed use' lands in residential areas.
Counsel for NCT of Delhi stated that nursing homes and hospitals are 'institutional occupancy buildings' and must obtain a fire safety certificate.
Recent fire incidents in nursing homes have highlighted significant lapses in fire safety compliance. The court emphasised the importance of public safety, particularly for staff and patients, and mandated the installation of basic fire safety equipment as required by law.
In Garh Chaukhandi village near the Hindon river, a large pile of solid waste, mainly construction and demolition waste, has been dumped, amounting to around 200 metric tonnes, according to a report by the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board on July 8, 2024.
Scrap dealers and rag pickers in the area contribute to the waste accumulation, the board noted, and encroachment in the flood plain of Hindon has been observed. The analysis results of the water sample from the river are awaited.
On July 9, 2024, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) reported that there are 22 ongoing projects under the National Green Tribunal's environmental compensation funds, with a total committed cost of Rs 126.90 crore. Of this, Rs 18.89 crore has been released and Rs 70 crore is planned for use between April 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025.
The report suggested using the environment protection charge fund for air pollution mitigation measures such as mechanical road sweeping machines, anti-smog guns, road construction / repair and paving works, especially when these are not covered under any other government schemes or lack matching funds. These measures are part of the city micro action plan for air pollution control in Delhi NCR.
The CPCB report to the NGT detailed the utilisation of environment protection charge and environmental compensation funds for various environmental components, including air.