In calling for stern action, Didi washes crib-death stain
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the Health portfolio, lost no time to reach the tragedy-struck hospital.
zIn her characteristic style, she waded into the crowd as the police, realising that the Trinamool Congress leader should be left alone, did not intervene.
As if delivering instant justice, Banerjee announced that speedy action will be taken against AMRI Hospitals. As the fire brigade personnel set up ladders and other rescue equipment to salvage the bodies and help and assist those trapped inside the building, Banerjee consoled the relatives of victims who, after learning about the tragedy, poured in from different parts of the city.
It appeared that Banerjee had regained her fire-brand image after the deaths of several infants in a Kolkata-based government and a few other hospitals in nearby districts. And her annoucement at the spot that stern action would be taken against the callous owners was a signal that she wanted to wash the stain off the crib deaths in hospitals of which she was the chief administrator as health minister. Taking the opportunity to discredit the Left Front regime, Banerjee said that the CPM-led government had given up its 93 per cent share of the total land for setting up the hospital, Banerjee said.
It was also a moment for Banerjee to be by the side of her people who she represented as the South Calcutta Lok Sabha constituency before she trounced the Left Front in the May 2011 Assembly elections.
In the evening, Mamata said that the “law will take its own course. Those responsible for so many deaths, will be dealt with seriously." Banerjee said that the fire service and police authorities had cautioned the AMRI Hospitals authorities in September about the basement. “AMRI gave an undertaking, but did not honour it,” she said. In this context, senior police officials revealed that the hospital was issued a warning in July about inadequate fire safety mechanism in the building.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Damayanti Sen said that the "hospital filed an affidavit in July stating that they will comply with the instructions within two months” but did not do so and that that will be one of the subjects of the probe against the owners.
Sources said that the basement had been turned into the hospital’s pathology unit where some of the tests for the oncology department were held there.
The Kolkata Municipal Corporation had given the AMRI authorities permission to have a car parking lot which was turned into the pathology unit without authorisation. The chief minister said a National Disaster Rescue Force team checked the hospital basement for radiation leak and forensic experts would also inquire into it. She said the hospital has been closed and would be sealed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation.
She said a high-level committee, with representatives from police, fire brigade, Kolkata Municipal Corporation and health department, has been formed to go into the cause of the fire. Kolkata Police Commissioner R K Pachnanda said JCP Sen would supervise the functioning of the committee.
Families resent presence
However, the arrival of Mamata and the presence of media here contributed to further chaos , said families of victims. The arrival of the CM restricted the movement of ambulances and the police resorted to batons to disperse the crowd, they complained.
How AMRI fattened
* July 1996 : AMRI Hospitals is co-founded by Emami and Shrachi Groups, two of Kolkata’s most respectable and
developing groups, along with Government of West Bengal to expand health coverage options for consumers.
A 161-bed tertiary care hospital is introduced
* June 2002 : A Clinic with speciality in ENT, eye and dental is introduced
* August 2005: A 190-bed super-speciate hospital is introduced
* January 2006: Acquired a 184-bed super speciality hospital in Salt lake, Kolkata. Now known as AMRI Salt Lake, Kolkata
* January 2011: A 35 bedded multispiciality hospital
under the name of AMRI Saltlake Annexe was started
* February 2011 : AMRI Women and Children HospitalWomen and children are always special and we have
always valued the need of an exclusive medical facility for them. That is why in the year 2011 AMRI has come up with a unique project at EM Bypass (near Metro Cash & Carry), Kolkata, dedicated to Women and Children only. We are
offering a unique infrastructure which includes, Royal Suite with open terraces which is a first of its own kind in this part of the country and other marvelous deluxe rooms too
* September 2011: A 40 bedded multispecialty hospital got introduced which is known as AMRI Dhakuria Annexe 2
The Emami Group
The Emami Group has varied interests comprising Personal and Health care, Hospital, Bio-diesel, Real estate, ball pen tips and retail - Frank Ross Pharmacy and Starmark. With the ongoing expansion, Emami Paper Mills, Balasore, Orissa will become one of the largest newsprint manufacturers in India. Emami is setting up a cement plant in Chattisgarh.
The Shrachi Group
The Shrachi Group has varied interests comprising Agro machinery, Engineering, Real Estate, Health Care, Finance Securities and information technology. Shrachi is one of the biggest real estate promoters in West Bengal with many joint ventures in real estate projects with the Govt. of West Bengal.
Source: AMRI website at http://www.amrihospital.com/about
/history_innovation.php
Major fire disasters
* Nov 20, 2011: At least 15 people were killed and over 34
injured in a fire at a congregation of eunuchs in east Delhi
n March 23, 2010: British-era Stephen Court in Kolkata’s bustling Park Street claimed 43 lives.
* April 10, 2006: At least 50 people were charred to death and scores injured in a fire at a consumer electronic goods fair at Victoria Park in Meerut
* July 16, 2004: At least 94 children were charred to death and 18 sustained severe burn injuries in a fire accident in a school in Kumbakonam of Tamil Nadu
* Jan 23, 2004: At least 49 people were killed and about 50 injured in a fire during a wedding at a marriage hall at
Srirangam in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruchi district. Among the dead were the bridegroom, 20 women and four children
* Aug 6, 2001: At least 25 mentally ill people, including 11 women, were killed and five suffered burns in a fire that swept across a home for mentally ill at Erwadi in Tamil Nadu
n June 13, 1997: At least 59 people killed and over 100 injured in a stampede after a fire broke out in Delhi’s Uphaar cinema during the screening of Hindi film ‘Border’
