CHANDIGARH: In order to tackle the Covid crisis by providing timely treatment and ramping up the bed capacity in the state, the Government of Punjab through the Department of Health has initiated the process of granting approval for setting up temporary Covid hospitals. The first of them, a project in Mohali, got an NOC within 24 hours of submission of the application based upon self-declarations.
In order to ensure prompt and hassle-free clearances in these difficult times, relevant government departments, like the Department of Health, Local Government, Housing and Urban Development, Punjab Pollution Control Board, Public Works Development, and Labour, have relaxed the standard operating procedures for setting up makeshift Covid hospitals in the state.
Invest Punjab has been made the nodal office to facilitate the issuance of all-requisite NOCs/in-principle approvals from all the concerned departments. Any person/group intending to start a temporary hospital can apply by filling an application form and submitting self-declarations. The final authority to issue in-principle approval lies with the Department of Health.
The first such in-principle approval to start construction immediately was granted to M/s Mohali Medical Group Pvt. Ltd for setting up an 80-bed temporary hospital in Mohali. Sharing the details, Rajat Agarwal, CEO Invest Punjab, said that the agency had facilitated the expeditious approval of the project by coordinating with all concerned departments and all the required NOCs were made available to Department of Health for granting approval within 24 hours.