A serious matter has come to light from the kitchen of prominent JP (Jai Prakash Narayan) District Hospital in the State capital. Defying all established regulations, domestic gas cylinders are openly being used instead of commercial ones to prepare daily meals for the admitted patients. According to Government rules, use of domestic LPG cylinders in any commercial, institutional or non-residential kitchen is completely illegal and punishable. Despite this, the unlawful activity is being carried out right inside the hospital premises, causing a direct loss to government revenue and raising major safety concerns. During a ground investigation, ‘The Hitavada’ team found, in the JP Hospital kitchen, rules were being flouted blatantly. The team discovered a total of 9 domestic LPG cylinders kept inside the main kitchen, some of which were actively being used at that moment to cook food for the patients. The presence of such a large number of illegal cylinders in a highly sensitive place like a hospital highlights gross negligence and lack of supervision by the administration.

 

When questioned about this serious irregularity, District Supplies Officer (DSO) Chandrabhan Singh Jadon confirmed that no relaxation has been granted under the rules. DSO Chandrabhan Singh Jadon explicitly clarified that no special permission has been given to any government or private hospital in the district to use domestic cylinders in place of commercial ones in their kitchens. He stated that directives have been issued to all hospital kitchens to exclusively use commercial cylinders. Therefore, presence of domestic cylinders in JP Hospital kitchen stands as clear violation of rules and falls under the illegal category. Domestic cylinders are subsidised by the Government for the general public, and their commercial use is strictly prohibited. In a hospital campus, where hundreds of patients and their relatives are present daily, such unauthorized usage raises serious questions about management’s oversight. When ‘The Hitavada’ team contacted Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Manish Sharma regarding the entire matter, he stated that he would order an inquiry into the case, and appropriate action would be taken if a blatant violation of rules is found.