New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday observed that hospitals have become large industries thriving on human distress, and it is better they are closed.
The Court was hearing a suo motu case concerning fire tragedies in Covid-19 hospitals across the country following incidents in Rajkot and Ahmedabad.
A bench comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah said: "Hospitals have become large industries now based on human distress and we cannot let them prosper at the cost of lives. Let such hospitals be closed".
Let not the impression go that state is shielding such hospitals," Justice Shah weighed in.
Citing the incident wherein a patient who had recovered from Covid died next day due to hospital fire , the bench asked "These are human tragedies which have unfolded before our eyes! Then, we go on extending time for these hospitals."
The top court strongly condemned a report by a commission on the issue of fire safety in hospitals that was filed in a sealed cover. "What is this report in a sealed cover by the commission, etc.? It is not a nuclear secret," said Justice Chandrachud.
The apex court told the Gujarat government to withdraw the notification giving relaxation to hospitals.
The court also added that state governments can provide better hospitals, instead of permitting private hospitals to operate from small residential buildings.
The bench claimed that hospitals have become a real estate industry, and instead of providing succour to patients in distress, it is widely felt they have become money minting machines, which fleece patients.
Referring to a government notification that hospitals do not have to adhere to the norms till June 2022, the bench said: "Once a mandamus is there, it cannot be overridden by an executive notification like this! You now give a carte blanche and say hospitals don't have to adhere till 2022 and people will continue dying and be burnt..."
In December last year, the court had directed the Centre to submit data from all states on fire safety audits carried out in hospitals.
The court noted that although different states and union territories have taken measures and conducted inspections, further audits were required and asked the state government to constitute a committee to carry out a fire audit of each Covid hospital at least once in a month, in each district.
The bench has listed the matter for further hearing after two weeks.