Despite funds,Lal Ded hospital waits for waste management

Five years ago,GMC had received Rs 43 lakh in cash from the Central government under the National Programme for Blindness Control,a project to prevent the population,especially children,from blindness. The money is also rotting in the bank and earning handsome interest but the administration is not interested in utilizing it.

“The central government had asked the authorities to spend the money and furnish a Utilization Certificate so that more money could be provided. But the money was not spent,” the faculty member said.

Last year,sources said,Lal Ded hospital was provided another Rs seven lakh to buy an Ultrasound machine. The machine,however,wasn’t purchased. “Our hospitals have an acute shortage of testing machines and when you ask the administration why the machines are no there,they say there are no funds. But they didn’t buy the Ultrasound machine even when money was given to them,” the faculty member said. “The seven Lakh rupees have lapsed”.

The Medical Superintendent of Lal Ded hospital,Dr Shahida Mir,said that the money for waste management could not be utilized because the hospital doesn’t have enough land to set up the machines. “We had floated a tender for setting up an incinerator. The company asked for five kanals of land for setting up the incinerator. We don’t have the land,” Dr Mir said.

But why is the administration not utilizing the money if it is available? “This institute is run by a bunch of incompetent and inefficient people. These people have occupied high chairs without deserving them. All the time they are worried about saving their positions. The welfare of this institution and the patients is least of their concern,” the faculty member said. “A file that doesn’t have money in it for these people does not move,” the faculty member said.

Principal,Government Medical College,Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Shah refused to comment,saying he will have to check the official documents first. “There are some things that I know and some things that I don’t know. I will have to check it out so call me during office hours,” Dr Shah said.