From a Correspondent
JORHAT, September 6: Jorhat Medical College and Hospital (JMCH) has come to the limelight by issuing parking tickets for two and four wheelers chargeable at Rs 10 inside the JMCH campus, which has led to a strong resentment among the general public.
The matter came to the light on Tuesday after Sanjoy Agarwalla, a local resident of the Jail Road area who went to meet a patient admitted in the male surgical ward of the JMCH, was charged Rs 10 for the vehicle he parked in front of the OPD. Initially he refused to pay thinking that it might be an illegal collection by goons who claim to be close to a political party but later realized that they actually issued a ticket with under the JMCH label.
Talking to The Sentinel, Sanjoy Agarwalla said, “The hospital is meant for the general people, the average Indian who seeks medical treatment owing to poor economic background. Whereas the patient’s registration fee is Rs 5 per entry, it looks odd that the same hospital is charging Rs 10 for parking. I know some people are of the opinion that if one can afford a car he can equally afford parking. What about the patient’s attendant who have only a bike? Do they have to keep paying on a daily basis? To me, it looks completely unethical and I do not have a good feeling about it. Besides the collector’s label M/S Jutiskar Farm looks very flimsy.”
Responding to the allegation, JMCH Superintendent Rajiv Bhattacharya said, “The collection agents have recently deposited a sum of Rs 500 with the JMCH because of which we have issued them the permission to collection parking fees. I do not see any malpractice here. This has been done mainly to control the chaotic situations and I do not understand why people like you keep calling us for such petty issues.”
JMCH Principal responded, “It is unfortute if the collection agents are charging Rs 10 for motorbikes and scooters. We had a discussion about issuing parking tickets in order to bring things into order. The main idea was to remove the chaos associated with haphazard parking but let me look into the matter and I will see what can be done to remove the people’s resentment over the parking issue.”
Meanwhile, sources have informed that the Deputy Commissioner of Jorhat, Virendra Mittal has taken the issue of issuing parking tickets seriously and is likely to take up the matter with senior officials of the JMCH after September 8.