Panchayat Bhawan converted into hospital sans staff, facilities

Conversion of a community hall in a panchayat building to a 20-bedded ayurveda hospital at Garkhal Sanawar panchayat in Kasauli tehsil with no proper facilities has become a cause of resentment among the residents.

Residents said 20 beds were placed in the community hall on October 11, days before the Model Code of Conduct was enforced. It was inaugurated by the Health and Family Welfare and Ayurveda Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal with no proper staff or infrastructure.

“Being the lone hall available, which was rented out to the residents for their small functions, the panchayat was earning an income of about Rs 50,000 from it. The hall is also used for the vaccination drive against the Covid,” Ajay, Aneet, one of the residents, said.

Locals added that though a three-room building was constructed by the Ayurveda Department on a 2.1- bigha land nearby, it was lying unused and the small dispensary was operational from an old building. They demanded that the beds should be shifted to the vacant building so that the panchayat building can be put to some use.

District Ayurveda Officer Dr Praveen said the panchayat bhawan was selected by the panchayat members for setting up a 20-bedded day care facility. He said though a doctor and a staff nurse had been provided for the facility, in the absence of requisite facilities, the staff was yet to sit there.

He added that a sum of Rs 1.5 crore had been given to the Public Works Department to set up a full-fledged 50-bed hospital at a nearby site where 2.10 bigha land has selected. Its final estimate and proposal were being prepared and the hospital would be shifted there.

He added that an entrepreneur centre had been created on the 2.10-bigha land where facilities like panchkarma would be set up soon. He said since the rooms were small, 20 beds could not be placed there. Tribune India