Since Chitradurga is a backward district as per the Dr. Nanjundappa Committee report, the elected representatives and authorities had made sustained efforts for years to get a government medical college here. Though the announcement on the medical college was made four years back, the approval for the same was given by the State government in the recent budget.
But the order of the Public Works Department (PWD) of Tumakuru division to the authorities concerned to demolish more than 25 well-established buildings on the district hospital premises to accommodate the medical college has irked the hospital authorities as well as the common man.
According to official sources, the district hospital has 23 acres of land, of which 14.1 acres have already been registered in the name of Chitradurga Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) to set up the medical college. In the remaining land, there is a hospital and staff quarters. “The Medical Council of India (MCI) that visited the hospital last year gave a favourable report stating that the hospital has all necessary facilities to establish a medical college. Based on the MCI report, the State government had given its approval,” sources said.
The buildings that the PWD has instructed for demolition include ‘D’ group employees’ quarters constructed in 1999, buildings of nurses’ quarters built in 1998, blood bank building constructed in 2005, DTC centre set up in 1989, and vehicle parking area constructed in 1980, sources said. If the authorities concerned give a nod to demolish these buildings, the work would face severe resistance from all quarters.
Keeping this in view, district surgeon Jagadish has already written to Deputy Commissioner Srirangaiah to accommodate the medical college in a separate land located near the Horticulture Department.
