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Controversy seems to be following FMCG major Emami and real estate developer Shrachi, promoted AMRI Hospitals Ltd.
While the 500-bed mother unit of the premier healthcare chain is closed after a fire on December 9, the joint venture is now faced with allegations of operating its newly built Rs 100 crore “AMRI Women and Children Hospital”, in an upmarket Eastern Kolkata location, without requisite clearances.
Opened in February 2011, the specialty hospital was the latest addition to the chain of facilities operated by AMRI in Kolkata.
While Kolkata Municipal Corporation accuses AMRI of operating the women and childcare facility without a trade licence; the West Bengal Health Department claims to have not granted any permission for the specific facility.
No Trade Licence
Senior officials of the licence and Revenue Department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) allege that the specialty hospital was operating without any trade licence. “Our records do not show any details on its trade licence,” a KMC official told Business Line .
AMRI sources, however, argue that the “AMRI Women and Children Hospital” is operated in collaboration with Vision Care Hospital which had duly obtained a trade licence from the civic body a couple of years ago. The hospital is built on the land leased out by the West Bengal Government to the Vision Eye Care Trust to set up Vision Care Hospital, an eye care facility.
City Mayor, Mr Sovan Chatterjee, however, stressed that commercial establishments - including healthcare units - should not operate against trade licence issued to a third party. “We are inquiring into the alleged discrepancies (by AMRI Women and Children Hospital) and will take necessary action,” Mr. Chatterjee said.
While Emami officials were not available for comments, hospital sources said that attempts were made to get a fresh trade licence in the name of AMRI.
More discrepancies
Meanwhile, sources in the State Government confirm that the hospital was run without due approval from the West Bengal Health Department.
According to a senior health official, the Government allowed Vision Care Hospital to set up an eye-care unit. There were no proposals to have a “women and children” unit on the same premises there by AMRI.
Confirming the discrepancy, Dr Shayamaprasad Basak, Director of Health Services, said that the Department had carried out an investigation on the issue on December 13.
“The facility is being run in the name of AMRI Women and Children Hospital. Permissions, trade licences and clearances are issued in the name of Vision Care Hospitals and not AMRI. This should not be the case. We have asked the hospital authorities to apply afresh to the concerned authorities for due approval,” Dr Basak told Business Line .
AMRI sources, however, maintain that permission was given (to Vision Care) to build “a hospital and other branches of medical and surgery” which means that other facilities may come up in the premises.
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