The Newz Radar
CHAMBA: Despite the installation of a Rs 85 lakh central heating system at the Civil Hospital in Dalhousie, the facility, intended to provide comfort to patients during extreme cold, has remained non-functional for the past six years. The reason: The government has failed to appoint technicians to operate it.
An official said though the government has spent a substantial amount on the heating project, patients have been deprived of its benefits. The Congress, which had raised concerns about the matter during the tenure of the previous BJP government, has conspicuously maintained silence on the matter after assuming power about a year ago.
Dalhousie, being a popular tourist destination, faces severe cold during the winter due to heavy snowfall. The decision to enhance patient facilities by introducing a central heating system was made by the previous government. However, the hospital management, equipped with the facility, has repeatedly communicated with the government, urging the appointment of technical staff to initiate the plant’s operation.
According to information, the Dalhousie Civil Hospital management wrote letters to the government in 2018, 2019 and 2020, seeking action but to no avail.
Though the hospital management provides alternative relief measures such as heaters, quilts and blankets to patients facing the cold, the question remains why the government has not shown interest in activating the facility for which lakhs of rupees were spent.
