Mohali, May 13 -- The Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital (civil hospital) in Phase 6, Mohali, has been functioning without a fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for over a year. The NOC of the hospital, which sees nearly 400 patients daily, including those admitted in wards and maternity units, expired in January last year. Fire officials, wishing not to be named, said the NOC requirement has already been communicated to the institute during multiple meetings. The National Building Code of India, 2016, states that institutional buildings must have a fire hose reel, hydrants, sprinkler system, manual call points, automatic detection systems, a ground-level water storage capacity of 1.5 lakh litres and an overhead tank of at least 20,000 litres, given the building height of 15 to 35 metres. Additionally, the code mandates three pumps with a minimum capacity of 2,280 litres per minute: one electrically operated main pump, one standby pump and a third jockey pump with a capacity of 180 LPM. Meanwhile, additional medical superintendent Amit Aggarwal said, "After the NOC expired last year, we re-applied, but certain issues were flagged by the assistant divisional fire officer. Around 80% of these have been resolved. We expect to obtain the NOC soon." Among the key obstacle in securing the NOC is the porta thermo-fab structure on the rooftops of the outpatient department and the Mother and Child Care buildings. Experts warn that the thermo-fab structure can withstand temperatures of up to 80deg Celsius and could collapse in the event of a major fire, potentially worsening the situation before fire tenders arrive. The porta thermo-fab structures are made of PVC, aluminium or other metals, often using polyurethane foam that are insulated to keep the structure cool and soundproof. Another issue is a non-functional pump room. Aggarwal said a meeting was held with the managing director of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) recently, from whom a certification is awaited that the rooftop porta thermo-fab structure can withstand fire for a certain period. The new Mother and Child Care Hospital, built according to the PHSC's directions, was inaugurated in June 2023, he said. Hydrants and sprinklers have been installed, he added. Recently, a minor fire triggered by a short circuit in wiring was reported in the emergency wing of the hospital. The pump room remains locked and covered in cobwebs, while a new one is reportedly being dug nearby. While hospital authorities maintain that nearly 80% of the required work has been completed, the current scenario raises serious concerns about preparedness. The hospital, being the only major government facility in Mohali, caters to patients from distant areas, making compliance with fire safety norms crucial to safeguarding lives....