Srinagar, July 15: Day after a fire incident created panic in the sole pediatric hospital of the Valley---G B Pant--- hospital administration on Friday blamed the Badami Bagh Cantonment Board for it.      
 Hell broke lose in the hospital on Thursday morning after fire emanated from a canteen located on the fifth floor of the institution. It led to chaos and confusion with attendants evacuating the infants and running for safety.
 The hospital is run jointly by Badami Bagh Cantonment Board and the State Government. “Board gave the permission to the canteen owner to set up his unit on the fifth floor it is against the prescribed norms,” hospitals officials said.  
 “Hospital authorities have no role at decision making level. The revenue generated b the canteen goes to the Board and we have no reason to keep this running here,” said a senior doctor.
 After the fire incident, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Samoon passed the direction to close down the canteen owing to its ‘vulnerable location.’
 Questioning the logic of running the canteen inside the building due to safety and hygiene concerns, Samoon termed it as ‘mismanagement.’
 “There should be separate building for running a canteen. It is clearly mismanagement as lives of children are put at stake,” he said.
 Principal Government Medical College Srinagar, Dr Shahida Mir blamed the Cantonment Board saying, “The matter was taken with the Board officials during a meeting a few months back but they did not pay any heed towards the issue.”  
 “Due to the dual control commercial activities are under BB Cantonment Board. Minster for Medical Education had instructed them to shift the canteen to some other place. But till date nothing has been done,” Mir said.
 When contacted Minister for Medical Education RS Chib said that canteen would be shifted to some other place.
 Despite repeated attempts Board officials could not be contacted. 

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:00:00 IST