Staffers continue to work there despite it being given 'unsafe' tag.
The lives of several doctors and staff working with the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) are at stake as they continue to work out of an office in a dilapidated building in Chinchpokli. The office holds the records of 80,000 doctors from the state, apart from other important documents.
Despite getting an eviction notice from the civic body a month-and-a-half ago, the staff is forced to work in the unsafe Anand Complex because they haven’t been provided with alternative accommodation.
Dr Shivkumar Utture, executive committee member, MMC said, “Since the last two years, we have been requesting the state government to allot us another space. We asked for space in GT Hospital, but nothing has been worked out so far.”
On any given day, the office of MMC — a statutory body established by the state government — has more than 100 doctors visiting for their registration work. It has 25 staffers. The MMC is tasked with issuing registrations to doctors, and it can also cancel their registration for misconduct. The body’s inputs are also sought while compiling the medical curriculum.
“We have ongoing medical negligence cases and other complaints that need to be looked into.
We also have to look into issuing and renewal of registrations of doctors. We can’t shut the office, even if our lives are in danger,” said Dr Kishor Taori, president, MMC.
According to the MMC staff, all offices except theirs shifted out of the three-storeyed structure as soon as it was tagged unsafe. Of of now, the MMC is using 800sqft of the 1,500sqft office area.
“The building’s owner has agreed to repair the building. BMC’s staff and a structural engineer had recently inspected it. Restoration work will be carried out. In the meantime, we have moved to vacated the part of the office that’s more damaged and dangerous,” said Dr Utture.
Dr Taori said that since MMC is a government body, the government should provide them with an alternative at the earliest. “There are other medical bodies which have been allotted space at Arogya Bhavan. We should also be given alternative accommodation till the repair work is completed,” he added.
Sumit Mallick, principal secretary, general administration department (GAD) said, “Presently we are facing a shortage of space, but the MMC can rent a space and the government is willing to pay for it.
This apathy could cost govt dear
The Maharashtra Medical Council’s office is located on the second floor of the three-storey Anand Complex building in Chinchpokli
On July 26, the civic body had issued a notice to the MMC, asking them to vacate their office as the building is unsafe
However, MMC staffers claim that their demands for a bigger office space have been going unheard by the government since the past two years
Until alternative arrangements are made, the council has vacated the most vulnerable part of the building.
Read about the Dockyard Road building collapse of September 27 that claimed 61 lives.
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