The territorial administration has given “in- principle” approval for establishing a private medical college at Nedungadu in Karaikal to a trust linked to Lieutenant Governor Iqbal Singh.
The approval was given to South Education Trust, comprising six members, all residents of Punjab, early this year.
According to a senior Minister, even at the conceptual stage of the project, objections were raised to the proposal and the Cabinet had not granted approval.
On February 25 this year, the Under Secretary (Health) issued an Essentiality Certificate (EC), which is normally given after a hospital is established for seeking permission from the Medical Council of India for getting a “Letter of Intent” to start the college.
In this case, around 30 acres was identified, but construction had not begun.
The EC, a copy of which is available with The Hindu , said, “It is certified that the applicant has undertaken to construct a 300-bed hospital in one year. It is desirable to establish a medical college in public interest.”
Usually, an EC is issued only after an inspection of a running hospital that could sustain the clinical activities of the medical college.
The South Education Trust was registered on March 25, 2010 with Tejinder Pal Singh as president-cum-managing trustee and Amarjet Singh as secretary.
A perusal of the deed copy of the Trust found that Tejinder Singh is the son of Karam Singh, resident of 92-B, B. R. S Nagar Ludhiana, and Amarjet Singh is the son of S. Iqbal Singh resident of 695-L, Mall Road Model Town Jalandhar.
Other members of the trust are S. Mohinder Pal Singh, son of S. Karam Singh, resident of 92-B B.R.S Nagar Ludhiana, Abhay Singh, son of S. Iqbal Singh, resident of 695-L, Mall Road Model Town Jalandhar, Chetan Pal Singh, son of S.J.P Singh, resident of 60-R, A-Block Model House, Jalandhar, and S. Jaypreet Singh, son of S. Tejinder Pal Singh, resident of 92-B, B.R.S Nagar Ludhiana.
The deed states that the purpose of forming the trust was, among other things, to start a medical college. Tejinder Pal Singh and Amarjet Singh will function as trustees for lifetime.
The CPI (M), CPI and AIADMK have sought a detailed inquiry by the Centre.
