Alleging that private hospitals were not keeping free beds for the poor as per the agreement signed with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) for getting additional Floor Space Index (FSI) for building extension, elected representatives on Monday called for action against hospitals for “cheating” the civic body. Congress leader Avinash Bagawe said the PMC should get at least 32 beds for free medical treatment in the private hospitals that have signed an agreement with the civic body for additional construction of the hospital. There were only 121 patients during 2014-15 who got free medical treatment, while 59 in 2013-14 and 64 in 2012-13, he said. "PMC should cancel the registration given to private hospitals that have been cheating the civic body as well as citizens by not giving free medical facility to the poor," said NCP corporator Prashant Jagtap. He alleged that the private hospitals in the city are charging citizens exorbitant fees for medical treatment. NCP corporator Subhash Jagtap said that many private hospitals have made illegal constructions and the civic body should take action against them. "The private hospitals have failed to put boards in visible location where beds are reserved for free medical treatment,” he said. Leader of the House Shankar Kemse said the private hospitals are not following the agreement with PMC are "thieves" as they have cheated the civic body and don't keep any bed in the hospital vacant for PMC recommended patients under the facility. Additional Municipal Commissioner Rajendra Jagtap said that the PMC would review the agreement with the private hospitals and would suggest necessary changes as per the requirement. "The private hospitals that have signed an agreement with PMC will be asked to put up a board at the entrance for the poor to avail the facility of free medical treatment," he said. Meanwhile, the PMC is also planning to start out patient department (OPD) in each of the 76 electoral panel in civic jurisdiction, Jagtap said.
