Ruckus at council meeting

Ms. Kunhunni, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] councillor, said many senior doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kozhikode, were not turning up for duty in time.

An adjournment motion moved by Health Standing Committee chairperson Janamma Kunhunni was the recipe for ruckus at the Corporation council meeting on Monday.

Moving the motion, Ms. Kunhunni, a Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] councillor, said many senior doctors at the Government Medical College Hospital (MCH), Kozhikode, were not turning up for duty in time. There was a scarcity of nurses. The X-ray machines and other equipment were in disrepair and the waiting list for surgery was long, she said.

The Opposition councillors questioned the ‘emergency nature’ of the motion.

They said the CPI(M) was doing an election stunt by blowing up the issue out of proportion.

Councillor P. Kishenchand of the Socialist Janata (Democratic) (SJ-D) said the CPI(M) councillors were doing a favour to private hospitals in the city by portraying the MCH in bad light.

Congress councillor Zakariya P. Hussain said Ms. Kunhunni had no right to speak ill about the MCH as she herself was ‘ineffective’ as the health standing committee chairperson.

K. Mohammedali of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) said the chairperson should specifically mention the departments at MCH that faced staff shortage.

Streetlights

T. Krishnadas of the Congress called the attention of the council to the non-functioning of streetlights. Superintending Engineer K.D. Ajay Ghosh said the streetlights were managed by the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) while the Corporation supplied the equipment. The equipment was not readily available and hence the delay in repairs, he said.

Welfare pensions

K.K. Saifunneesa, IUML, said there were procedural issues in accepting petitions for welfare pensions at various regional centres of the Corporation. There should be uniformity to avoid confusion, she said.

P.V. Avaran, IUML, said the menace caused by street dogs should be addressed. Ms. Kunhunni said the Corporation would, in a few days, launch a new project to curb the menace.

Mr. Kishenchand said the recent transfer of the Corporation of the Health Superintendent was unjust.

He blamed the Mayor for ‘falsely implicating and punishing’ an honest official.

This led to heated arguments between councillors for some time.

The council passed a 170-point agenda.