Stand off over IE district hospital site : Jayanta questions local MLA's inaction
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 19 2018: Clarifying that foundation stone for Imphal East District Hospital was laid at Kyamgei recently because of dispute over the site selected for the hospital at Khundrakpam, Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumarhas questioned as to why the local MLA did not do anything to settle the dispute during the past 6/7 years.

Notably, foundation stone for the same hospital had been laid earlier at Khundrakpam.

Speaking to media persons at his Secretariat South Block office today, Jayantakumar said that the CHC located at Khundrakpam was shifted away with a view to set up a district hospital there.

However, on initiating due process for starting the hospital construction work, the site identified for the hospital was found in the name of private individuals, not in the name of the Directorate of Health Services.

Constrained by the land dispute, foundation stone for Imphal East District Hospital was laid anew at Kyamgei within Keirao AC, Jayantakumar said.

He said that due process was initiated for construction of one hospital each in Imphal West and Imphal East districts in 2011 during which he held the same ministerial portfolio of Health and Family Welfare.

To pave way for Imphal East District Hospital, Khundrakpam CHC was shifted away.

The area occupied by the CHC was 1.75 acre but a district hospital would require 10 to 15 acres.

In order to acquire the required area, 4.50 acres were purchased from private pattadars (land owners) in the first phase and the Government was planning to further acquire 4.35 acres, said the Health Minister.

In the meantime, the amount deposited at PWD for construction of Imphal East and Imphal West district hospitals was found transferred to the Manipur Development Society (MDS).

Out of this amount, a sum of Rs 1,56,17,635 was released for construction of compound fence and gate of Imphal East District Hospital.

On the pretext that construction of compound fence has been completed on the northern, southern and western sides, Rs 1,28,60,814 was released to contractor M/S L Singh of Keishampat, Keisham Leikai.

The particular contractor was none other than local MLA Th Lokeshore who was then Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Jayantakumar alleged.

The area around which fence was constructed at the cost of over Rs 1.30 crore is not registered in the name of the Directorate of Health Services.

According to the documents produced by the Minister, the particular area measuring 0.31 acre bears Patta No (old) 67 and Patta No (new) 56/266 and it is registered in the name of one RK Lakhisana Devi.

Another plot measuring 0.275 acre bearing Patta No (old) 67 and Patta No (new) 265/284 was also found registered in the name of RK Lakhisana Devi.

The memorandum of agreement signed on September 1, 2017 was signed by four pattadars out of six, and their lands were purchased at a rate which was based on an order issued by the Imphal East DC on April 26, 2013.It is suspected that the two pattadars who did not sign on the memorandum of agreement are MLA Th Lokeshore's mother-in-law RK Lakhisana Devi and his wife Thokchom Nivedita, Jayantakumar said.

He went on to ask whether the amount paid for purchase of land actually reached the land owners or not.

Expressing surprise over spending Rs 1.30 crore for fencing an area which is not registered in the name of the Government, the Health Minister asked whether the local MLA did not have any knowledge about obscurity of ownership of the site identified for the district hospital.

Meanwhile, RK Lakhisana filed an application on April 16 this year saying that the particular plot was handed over to the department in 2014 so that compound fence could be constructed.

In the last part of the same application, Lakhisana offered to donate the same plot in the name of her late husband ex-MLA Kh Nabakumar.

These contradictory statements only point out that there are certain controversies over the site selected for Imphal East District Hospital.

On the other hand, the estimated cost for construction of the hospital is around Rs 100 crore.

To obtain this amount from the Central Government, the hospital's site should be first registered in the name of the department, Jayantakumar continued.

The project cannot be delayed indefinitely just because there are controversies over the site.

As such, the Government decided to construct Imphal East District Hospital at Kyamgei where the population density is also higher.

Appealing to all concerned to settle the land disputes at the earliest, Jayantakumar said that he is determined to set up a health centre bigger than CHC at Khundrakpam.

Comment