New Delhi: Eight days after a devastating fire at a bed-and-breakfast facility in Hauz Rani claimed 23 lives, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has initiated disciplinary action against officials of its public health department. A contractual assistant public health inspector has been terminated, while the deputy health officer of the South Zone has been transferred to headquarters.
The action follows an internal inquiry into the licensing process of a “tea and snacks” establishment operating on the ground floor of the building. Officials said decisions were taken after examining records and responses submitted by the concerned officers.
In an order issued on Thursday, MCD terminated the contractual engagement of assistant public health inspector Prince Mann with immediate effect, citing serious lapses in processing a health trade licence application linked to the premises.
According to the order, the application was assigned to Mann on March 17 for inspection and submission of a report but remained pending until June 2 — a delay of 78 days. “It was a clear dereliction of your assigned duties,” the order stated, noting that the delay reflected disregard for procedural timelines.
The civic body further alleged that Mann conducted a field inspection of the premises on June 2 in a “perfunctory and superficial manner” and subsequently recommended approval of the licence on the basis of a false and misleading inspection report. Based on this recommendation, the instant licence application was approved and disposed of at the zonal level on the same day.
“The conduct demonstrates a complete lack of integrity and gross negligence, rendering you unfit to hold any position of responsibility,” the order said. It added that his continuation in service was considered prejudicial to public interest, leading to the termination of his contractual engagement.
In a separate order, MCD transferred Dr Sanjay Sinha, deputy health officer of the South Zone, and attached him to the civic body’s headquarters with immediate effect on administrative grounds.
The latest action comes days after MCD issued show-cause notices to five public health department officials on June 8 as part of its probe into the tragedy.
