The Wayanad Government Medical College Action Committee is preparing to launch a series of agitations raising several demands, including the setting up of the proposed government medical college at Madakkimala in the district.
Speaking to the media here on Saturday, action committee chairman E.P. Phlipkutty said the State government had announced in 2012 that five medical colleges would be set up in the State, including one in Wayanad. Though the institutions in other districts were established in a time-bound manner, the one proposed for Wayanad seems like a distant dream, he said.
The Chandra Prabha Charitable Trust had donated 50 acres of land at Madakkimala for the institution. Moreover, the site is easily accessible to the public, Mr. Philpkutty said.
Later, the government tried to identify land in other parts of the district on the pretext that the site at Madakkimala was in an ecologically sensitive area. Finally, the government decided to set it up at Boys’ Town near Palchuram and Periya Ghat roads, a highly ecologically fragile area on the Wayanad-Kannur border. In addition, it is nearly 40-km away from the district headquarters and 55-km away from Sulthan Bathery. If the institution comes up at Madakkimala, it will be very convenient for the public, he said.
Over 70 ambulances from the district head to the Government Medical College Hospital and private multi-speciality hospitals in Kozhikode a day owing to the dearth of medical care facilities in the district, Mr. Philpkutty said.
A dharna will be staged in front of the collectorate at 10 a.m. on September 15 raising the demand, following which a vehicle rally will be heldon September 21, 22, and 23, and a five-day fast will be organised in front of the collectorate from October 2, he added.
Mr. Phililpkutty urged the government to develop infrastructure facilities at the district hospital at Mananthavady.
