This archive report was first published on 16 July 2020.
A dispute between Sarit Centre and Laser Eye Clinic has been ongoing for years, but it has now escalated with the mall owners refusing to extend the clinic's lease.
The lease is set to expire at the end of July, and the clinic is seeking an extension to relocate its delicate equipment to a new location.
However, Sarit Centre's chief operations officer, Nitin Shah, has stated that the mall has no intention of renewing or extending the lease, citing the need for the clinic to relocate due to the increasing noise levels in the shopping centre.
Shah claims that the mall issued a notice of non-renewal of lease to the clinic on July 8, 2019, giving them ample time to find a new location and make arrangements to relocate.
The clinic, which is the oldest ophthalmology practice in East Africa, has expressed concerns that using unqualified personnel to dismantle or relocate the medical equipment would be hazardous to human life and the environment.
Dr Mukesh Joshi, a representative of the clinic, has stated that specialist engineers from South Africa, Italy, and the US are required to decommission and dismantle the equipment, safely transport it, and then calibrate and test it before commissioning it in the new premises.
The dispute between the two parties dates back to 2018, when the clinic sued Sarit Centre over renovation works that were carried out outside business hours, despite a fire having destroyed part of the building.
