Disaster management plan brought into force; hospitals increase staff strength Even as the Allahabad High Court pronounced its verdict on the Ayodhya issue on Thursday, doctors at public and private hospitals across the city were prepared for all eventualities. Dr Arun Jamkar, dean of Sassoon General Hospital and co-ordinator of the disaster management plan in the city said all hospitals had been instructed to increase the staff strength and security as well. Well-prepared: Sassoon General Hospital tripled its staff strength in anticipation of untoward incidents. File picThe city and Pimpri-Chinchwad area has been divided into 19 zones. One major hospital has been designated as a referral centre in each of these zones and asked to keep extra beds as well as ambulances ready. Any case reported from within their zone would be their responsibility and we have made arrangements so that help can be reached within 20 minutes to any location, said Jamkar. He added that the hospitals had been instructed to give first aid before moving the patients to the hospital.At Sassoon hospital the staff strength have been tripled and 150 doctors were on duty instead of the usual 50 per shift.While no incident was reported in the city, hospitals said that the arrangements would continue for at least 24 hours.We have a disaster management ward ready where we can handle a large number of emergencies including burns and stabbing. While the staff strength was increased in anticipation of any untoward incident, we laid more emphasis on strengthening the security within the hospital premises, said Dr Shubhada Sharma, deputy medical superintendent, KEM hospital.The situation was similar at Sahyadri hospital where 15 ambulances equipped with trained paramedics were on emergency call.Though we are well equipped for any situation, we are happy that no cases were reported. The city is already reeling under a lot of diseases and we don't need any more pressure, said Dr Sujata Malik, medical superintendent of Ruby Hall Clinic.