City hosp fails to follow 10% reserved bed rule, fined Rs 5L

As per the Bombay Public Trusts Act 1950, private hospitals registered with the state charity commissioner have to reserve 10 per cent of the beds for econimically weaker sections. However, two months ago, a surprise visit by the charity commissioner at the Vile Parle-based Nanavati Hospital showed that the hospital had flouted the rules.

According to the charity commissioner, during his visit in September, the 350-bed hospital should have reserved at least 33 beds for poor patients. But on his visit he found that of the 33 beds, 12 were occupied by people from the privileged class. A criminal case was filed against the Nanavati hospital for not applying 10 per cent reservation rule. The matter has been heard by the court.

On November 30, another order (copy with DNA) was passed to Nanavati hospital to pay Rs 5 lakh as fine, asking for clarification for not following the 10 per cent reserved bed rule.

The charity commissioner Shivkumar Dige is planning to make surprise visits in other private hospitals registered with charity commission. "The fine will be submitted to the Chief Minister's relief fund to provide medical assistance.

They should have submitted the clarification to the implementing authority — state's charity commission — and not given it to the media," said Dige. Dr Rajendra Patankar, chief operating officer of Nanavati Hospital, said, "We have been unfailingly implementing the rule given by the charity commission."