We don’t want a COVID centre on our premises: Navi Mumbai complex residents

The hospital dedicated to severe COVID-19 patients will admit 11, and will have ventilator and ICU facilities

A housing complex in Ghansoli has opposed the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) decision to create a dedicated COVID centre on its premises. After the objection from residents, there are more than 1,000, NMMC Commissioner Abhijeet Bangar has said he will look into the matter.

COVID-19 cases are increasing in NMMC's jurisdiction since February. As of Tuesday 9,620 patients were under treatment. NMMC is in the process of increasing beds and is locating more hospitals for the same.

The Credence Care Hospital on the society's premises was being set up for cardiac and neuro patients and had recently received an NoC for the same. On April 4, the NMMC commissioner passed an order that a dedicated COVID centre will be set up in Credence Care Hospital for severe patients. The hospital will admit 11 patients, and will have ventilator and ICU facilities. The hospital was asked to do the necessary arrangements as early as possible.

However, residents of GeeCee Cloud 36, the housing complex where the hospital is located, immediately objected. Tweeting directly to the NMMC commissioner, a resident, Sumit Neogi wrote, "You have given approval to open a dedicated COVID hospital in a society that houses 250+ families with 1,000+ members. For 11 beds, please do not put all lives at risk. Request to please withdraw the permission".

Devesh Kumar, another resident and a member of the managing committee of the housing society said, "The hospital is located on the ground and first floor. The COVID patients will definitely lead to some spread in the society as well. For a year, we have managed to contain the spread in society with strict measures. But this move from NMMC will definitely affect many. We have written to NMMC urging them to revoke the permission and not to put residents' lives at risk for just 11 beds in the hospital which is still being set up".

Bangar has assured the residents he will look into the matter. He said, "Thank you for highlighting this, will talk to the team about this."

Tweet talk

Sumit Neogi@sumit_neogi:
‘You have given approval to open a dedicated COVID hospital in a society that houses 250+ families with 1,000+ members. For 11 beds, please do not put all lives at risk. Request to please withdraw the permission'