Pimpri-Chinchwad: The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has issued notices to personnel at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital and ordered an inquiry after a video allegedly showing a liquor gathering in the hospital’s post-mortem department surfaced on Friday.
The video reportedly shows liquor bottles, filled glasses, snacks and dinner plates on a post-mortem table. The incident has raised concerns about staff conduct and the functioning of the civic-run hospital’s sensitive medical facilities.
PCMC Additional Commissioner Kuldeep Jangam said the administration issued notices to the concerned personnel early Friday morning. The administration has also directed the Head of Department (HOD) to conduct an inquiry.
Jangam said the administration would decide on further action after receiving the staff members’ explanations and the inquiry report. He stressed that employees found violating service rules would face appropriate administrative action.
Social activists and residents of the city have raised questions over the growing controversies surrounding PCMC’s YCM Hospital.
Citizen Reportedly Waited Overnight For Death Certificate
The incident came to light after a citizen who had visited the hospital to obtain a death certificate reportedly waited through the night. When the person went inside to find out the reason for the delay, the alleged gathering came to light.
The footage has since triggered concerns over the handling of official duties in a department that deals with post-mortem examinations and other sensitive procedures.
However, the circumstances surrounding the reported delay in issuing the death certificate have not yet been established. The hospital administration’s inquiry is expected to examine the incident and the conduct of the personnel concerned.
PCMC Seeks Explanations Before Deciding On Action
Speaking about the incident to the media, Additional Municipal Commissioner Kuldeep Jangam said issuing a notice and seeking an explanation were the first steps in the administrative process.
He said the concerned personnel had been given the mandatory 24 hours to respond. The HOD has also been asked to conduct an inquiry, and notices have been issued as part of the process.
The administration will take further action after receiving the explanations and the inquiry report, Jangam said.
As of Friday, the administration had not confirmed any suspension or announced the findings of the inquiry. The allegations have yet to be established through the investigation, officials said.
Second Reported Lapse At YCM Hospital In Days
The latest controversy comes days after a patient fell from a moving ambulance operated by YCM Hospital while being transferred to Sassoon General Hospital.
The incident was reported on October 11 and raised concerns about patient safety during transfers. Reports said the stretcher wheels and the ambulance’s rear door had not been secured properly. Notices were subsequently issued to the ambulance staff.
The two incidents have brought renewed attention to the functioning of the PCMC-run hospital and the accountability of its personnel.
In July 2024, it was reported that a YCM Hospital doctor, a department head and others regularly held alcohol parties. PCMC ordered a fact-finding inquiry into the allegations, alongside separate sexual harassment allegations. However, PCMC didn't clear what had happened then. A hospital source said that warnings and notices were issued, but such incidents continue despite action.
The latest inquiry will determine the facts surrounding the alleged gathering and whether any staff members violated their official duties.
