The Communist Party of India (CPI) has demanded the withdrawal of the proposal to set up government offices on the premises of the Visakha Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) and to allocate special funds for the improvement of medical facilities at the hospital.
The party staged a protest at the hospital main gate here on Friday, alleging that the State government was trying to convert the hospital premises into camp offices and residences of government officials.
The State government has proposed the construction of the Regional Drug Store and the Joint Drug Controller’s office apart from utilising some of the special rooms and wards in the VIMS for the residence of the official.
CPI district secretary M. Pydiraju said that the people of the city had been demanding the development of the hospital, located on a 100-acre site, on par with the King George Hospital.
He alleged that the government had failed to sanction funds for the development of the hospital all these years. The hasty decision on setting up of government offices on the hospital premises would deprive the common people of medical facilities. He suggested that the State government should take over a multi-storeyed building, which was constructed in violation of the rules, in Survey No. 361 for setting up of the government offices, if needed, instead of taking over the hospital land.
CPI district executive committee members G.S.J. Atchuta Rao, S.K. Rahaman, K. Satyanajaneya, M. Manmadha Rao, R. Srinivasa Rao and C.N. Kshetrapal were among those who participated in the protest.
“The construction of the Regional Drug Store and the office of Joint Drug Controller have been taken up long ago, and they are nearing completion. The special rooms are not being used and they are proposed to be given to house some government offices but no one has turned up, so far,” K. Rambabu, Director of VIMS, told The Hindu, when contacted on Friday.
