Much-awaited expansion of the AII India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) may get further delayed as Delhi lt-Governor Najeeb Jung has asked to conduct a tree census at the site which is to be given to the hospital authority for construction. The land belongs to the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). Terming the decision of the conducting tree census a futile exercise, hospital authority said this will only delay the project which lingering for three years. “The land was earlier occupied by slum clusters after which it has been lying as barren for several years. This has never been a green patch area, only a few trees exist,” he said. Expressing their apprehensions, they further said the delays may kill the interest shown by the Government in the expansion of the AIIMS Trauma Centre, and ultimately hospital authorities may give up on the project with time.
“The l-G wanted to know what the environmental impact of the construction would be. However, this land has never been questioned for its environmental efficiencies earlier. This used to be a cluster land and after the clusters were removed the land has remained barren. There is no utility of the land. Whereas if the expansion takes place, the amount of benefit in the health sector will be immense,” said a resident doctor at AIIMS.
Earlier the DDA officials said that the matter was yet to be tabled in front of the l-G for the final approval for land transfer. “When it was tabled, Jung enquired about the number of trees that were there in the area. Since no suggestive number was given to him he asked for a survey. It was a barren land with trees. The l-G’s main issue is that he is very particular about greenery. So he has asked AIIMS to ensure trees are not cut for which prior to the expansion he has directed to carry out a tree count on the land,” said an official.
The project is the brainchild of present director of the institute Dr MC Mishra who was earlier the head of the Trauma Centre. Dr Mishra has only a couple of years to go to retirement. Thus, doctors have a feeling that if the project doesn’t begin in his term, it will get lost in files. “If Dr Mishra retires, the next person may not take the trouble to get the sanction at all,” said a doctor.
leading hospitals challaned for mosquito breeding
Several leading hospitals in Delhi were found to be breeding sites for aedes and anopheles mosquito, which causes dengue and malaria respectively, during the inspection by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) teams. According to NDMC officials, four major hospitals including the premier All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been challaned after mosquito breeding sites were detected in their premises during inspections.
This year itself, AIIMS has been issued 22 notices and has been challaned twice, once in early July. Safdarjung hospital was served 18 notices by the civic body and challaned once, while lady Hardinge Medical College was issued 11 notices and challaned once for failing to take preventive measures to check breeding of mosquitoes.
Apart from that, Ram Manohar lohiya (RMl) hospital has been issued six notices and challaned twice. “During the inspections conducted by sanitary inspectors in these hospitals, various sites conducive for breeding of mosquitoes were found. If larvae are found during the first inspection, we issue them a notice asking them to take preventive measures, but if consequently the conditions prevail we challan them,” said Medical Officer of Health (NDMC) Dr P K Sharma.
NDMC till July 20 this year has launched around 70 prosecutions against various institutes and buildings which include hospitals, schools and other government organizations and 2329 notices have been issued.