AHNA to protest mandatory BU demand by Ahmedabad municipal corporation

“We would like to clarify that all our healthcare facilities are complying with fire NOC norms and all the hospitals have fire fighting systems in place… we believe that it is a requirement for the patient and public safety,” said Dr Viren Shah, secretary of AHNA.

Dr Jigar Shah, joint secretary of AHNA, said, “The validity of the existing ‘Form C’ should be extended by a year. We need a proactive and positive approach from the AMC to ensure that after necessary structural changes, wherever possible, Building Use Permission is granted to the building as per the laws prevalent at that time.”

Dr Divyang Brahmbhatt, treasurer of the association said that both demands can be met easily if the government understands that if these healthcare facilities are closed, the system will collapse, and healthcare will become inaccessible.

As the city of Ahmedabad developed, various laws related to the buildings came into existence. The Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) was established in 1978 and they started issuing BU from 1987. However, till 2002 most buildings did not take a BU as it was not mandatory.

Many hospitals and nursing homes were under the village panchayats that did not have a system to provide BU.