Questions raised over fire safety, statutory approvals during inspection of nursing colleges in Odisha’s Balangir
By Mahendra Kumar Darjee
Balangir, July 22: As the Odisha government continues its statewide inspection of private nursing colleges, scrutiny of institutions in Balangir district has brought fire safety compliance, building approvals and statutory clearances under the spotlight.
The ongoing inspections have triggered concerns over whether several private nursing colleges are operating in accordance with the norms prescribed by the Indian Nursing Council (INC), particularly with regard to fire safety measures and legal building permissions.
According to the INC guidelines, every nursing college must have adequate fire safety infrastructure and a valid fire safety certificate. However, questions have been raised over whether several institutions functioning from rented buildings have installed the mandatory fire protection systems and complied with other safety requirements.
The inspection has also brought attention to the legal status of buildings housing these colleges. Concerns have been expressed over whether the rented premises have obtained valid occupancy certificates from the concerned municipal authorities and building plan approvals from the town planning authorities for commercial use.
Observers have questioned how educational institutions are being allowed to function in buildings that may not have secured the statutory approvals required under the law.
Allegations have also surfaced that some institutions may have obtained permissions from different government departments by allegedly submitting incorrect or incomplete affidavits and declarations. The allegations, however, are yet to be independently verified.
The developments have raised concerns among parents and members of the public, who fear that any punitive action or closure of institutions found violating the norms could adversely affect the academic future of students enrolled in these colleges.
When contacted, the Deputy Fire Officer said all nursing colleges would undergo stringent inspections in accordance with the prescribed rules and that appropriate legal action would be taken wherever deficiencies or violations are detected.
Questions have also been raised over the approval process for building plans. While applications for commercial buildings are required to be submitted online through the state’s SUJOG portal, discussions are underway over allegations that the offline route may have been adopted in some cases.
There are also allegations that certain commercial buildings housing nursing colleges have failed to comply with mandatory planning norms, including maintaining the stipulated two-metre setback space around the premises.
Various stakeholders have demanded a thorough investigation into the allegations. They have urged the authorities to take strict action against those found responsible for any irregularities while ensuring that the safety, academic interests and future of students remain the government’s foremost priority.
