Public outcry over encroached land of model hospital

Public outcry over encroached land of model hospital

 From our Special Correspondent

Silchar, Dec 11: Residents of grater Ambikapur, Bhaijantipur, Chengcoorie and Kathal GP areas have been agitating for a long time for the start of a newly constructed PHC and for removing encroachment from the land meant for construction of a model hospital along it. Unfortutely, despite all their best efforts to get the land freed from encroachment, the district administration of Cachar has failed to take any concrete action against those who have illegally taken possession of the 2.5 bighas of land earmarked for the model hospital. The positive development has been that the PHC has started functioning which now caters to the medical care and treatment of around 1 lakh people.
 They now wait for the construction of model hospital for more updated medical treatment, considering the fact while the treatment at private nursing homes at Silchar is costly, the communication with the town is not in good shape. Moreover, on the eve of the last assembly elections of 2006, the then Gogoi Government promised a model hospital along with others at Rengti. On the very campus was proposed for the construction of a model hospital. The land in question was doted both for the PHC and the model hospital by the people of the areas.
The state government granted fund for the PHC and the model hospital. It is to be recalled that during one of his visits Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Health Minister in the Sarbanda Sonowal cabinet, a delegation met him in the Circuit House here who along with the starting of the PHC assured them of a model hospital on the same venue with all facilities. People are now groping in dark about the fate of the model hospital. The land on which the PHC stands with the proposed model hospital has been encroached from all sides, posing a serious threat to the conducive atmosphere necessary for medical centres.
Dr. Sudip Jyoti Das, joint director of health services, Cachar, when approached by the residents promised to remove the encroachers after demarcation of the land. With the functioning of the PHC, on an average 70 to 80 patients everyday come for treatment. The donors quite turally expect to see the construction of model hospital and its opening which will go a long way in meeting affordable treatment to the poor and needy people of the four GPs. According to the latest information as given by Grahak Suraksha Samiti (GSS), among the encroachers, one has already constructed house and set up a grocery shop in it, making fast buck.
 Biplob Kumar Goswami, general secretary of the Samiti, said his organization met the then Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, S Viswathan, IAS, twice in May and August last and submitted memorandum to him on the encroached land in question. The Deputy Commissioner directed B C th, ADC, in-charge settlement officer, to initiate measures. But, till today, the land remains under encroachment. Under the banner of GSS, the people of the four GPs have served an ultimatum on the joint director of health services to the effect if land is not freed from all encumbrances by December end, they will have no altertive than to go for long drawn agitation.

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