Fire NOC stalls licences
Karnataka Private Medical
Indian Medical Association
Private hospitals across Karnataka are facing delays in obtaining new licenses and renewing existing ones due to the state government's mandatory requirement for a fire safety No Objection Certificate (). As per theEstablishments (KPME) Act, it is now compulsory for all private healthcare institutions to implement fire safety measures and obtain clearance from the Fire and Emergency Services Department to secure or renew their licenses.Earlier, only hospitals taller than 21 metres needed a fire safety NOC. However, the new directive extends this requirement to smaller hospitals and clinics as well. Without this clearance, licenses cannot be issued or renewed, causing a slowdown in hospital registrations and potentially affecting the delivery of essential healthcare services.Dr A Suriraju, Secretary of the(IMA), voiced concern, stating that around 3,000 small and medium-sized hospitals are already experiencing delays, a number that could rise to 15,000 in the coming months if the issue is not addressed.The IMA has called on the government to issue clear, standardised guidelines for the NOC process.
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