Criminal prosecution has been initiated by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) against four city hospitals under the Disaster Management Act for not reserving 50% beds for Covid-19 patients, as referred by the government.

The order was issued on September 21, and it came just five days after the final show-cause notices were sent to 36 private hospitals that had reportedly turned away patients, citing lack of beds.

Replies of four hospitals Republic Hospital, Langford Gardens; Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road; Nu Hospital, Padmanabhanagar; and Vikram Hospital, Millers Road, were found unsatisfactory by the BBMP.

Managing Director and physician at Republic Hospital, Dr Shashidhar, said that he was yet to receive the order.

However, after reviewing a copy of the order sent by Deccan Herald, he said, ‘It’s totally uncalled for since we have reserved 28 out of the 55 functional beds. The BBMP is not referring enough cases and we have not refused any BBMP patients. Beds are lying vacant, and so far no payment has been received. Also, there is an acute shortage of manpower.’

Fortis and Vikram hospitals have claimed that they did not receive the order.

‘We are yet to receive the physical copy of the order at our Bannerghatta Road unit. As a law-abiding hospital, we will respond after receiving the copy,’ Fortis said in a statement.

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