Multi-crore central heating system rendered defunct for want of use

ESS AHMAD. Dated: 11/18/2019 3:19:24 PM

Medical college Anantnag

ANANTNAG, Nov 17: When the PDP-Congress government in 2004 sanctioned new 300 bedded district hospital for Anantnag, installation of central heating system (CHS) was part of the project. Since the central heating system runs on fuel, its installation in all the three blocks of the healthcare facility was aimed to provide 24 hour heating facility to the patients during the winters when the valley reels under severe power crisis.
However five years after the hospital was made operational, the central heating system (CHS) installed at the cost of over four crore rupees has failed to serve any purpose. “The installation of CHS in the hospital was aimed to keep the wards warm during winters so that the patients do not face any inconvenience but the multi-crore facility has failed to serve the purpose as the authorities never bothered to put at it use,” hospital sources said.
The hospital last year was brought under the control of government medical college Anantnag which from last one year is functioning from the same facility.
After being brought under the control of GMC, the authorities this year had decided to put the CHS at use, however, sources said, the heating system did not function despite all the efforts by the officials of the mechanical department.
“Since the heating system was never used during last five years it gathered rust and suffered many snags. The mechanical officials clearly told the authorities that it has turned defunct for want of use and needs lakhs of rupees for repairs,” said a source.
An official posted at the hospital questioned the wisdom of the authorities of not using the facility all these years and rendering it defunct.
“The hospital management has fixed electric blowers in medical and surgical wards to provide heating facility to the patients. And in the chambers of doctors in OPD authorities are using gas heaters. Both these heating devices are unsafe and can prove disastrous any time,” the official said.
He said there is no substitute to the central heating system as for as heating and safety is concerned but authorities ironically rendered it defunct.
In the absence of any heating facility in waiting areas of OPD, patients and attendants could be seen shivering with cold.
“See how this old lady is shivering here. Had this central heating system been used by the authorities all these years and not rendered it defunct, these patients won’t have been shivering like this,” a Para-medic posted at the hospital told this reporter pointing towards a lady who was sitting on a steel bench waiting for her turn in OPD.
Principal government medical college (GMC), Anantnag, Dr Showkat Jeelani admitted that the central heating system in the hospital has never been used since its installation in 2015 due to the lack of budget for the same.
“We recently got the heating system inspected by the mechanical officials. They found some snags in the CHS and said Rs 10 lakh will be required for its repairs. Once they set it right we will be utilizing this facility as the government has allocated the fuel budget for the same,” the principal said.

 

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