Proposed land for ESI hospital in Telangana's Ramagundam not suitable, was waste dumping site: Site selection panel

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 23 : The Site Selection Committee set up to ascertain the suitability of land proposed for construction of the 100-bed ESI facility at Ramagundam in Telangana has flagged several issues in its report stating that it is "not suitable for hospital" and that due consideration should be given for accommodating 100 beds in the existing ESIC land available in the city, sources said.
They said Union Tourism and Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy has written to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao regarding the proposed allotment of "a waste dumping site next to a graveyard" for setting up by the facility by the Centre.
The Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Government of India sets up and operates Employees' State Insurance (ESI) hospitals across India.
Setting up of an ESI hospital is based on the Insurance Person (IP) population in a peripheral area. As per ESIC norms, an IP population of 50,000 is required for a 100 bedded hospital within the catchment area of 25 km.
As per these norms, Ramagundam in Pedappalli district of Telangana is eligible for a 100-bed ESI Hospital.
Kishan Reddy had written a letter to KCR on June 30 stating that the Centre has been wanting to set up a 100-bed hospital in Ramagundam and requested the state government to expedite the allocation of 5 acres of land for the hospital.
Telangana Minister of Labour Ch. Malla Reddy wrote back to the Union Minister stating that the District Collector of Peddadalli had given consent and a Site Selection Committee (SSC) had been set up to inspect the land.
"The Collector and District Magistrate Peddapalli has given consent for allotment of land of 5 acres situated at Ramagundam village shivar of Ramagundam Mandal for construction of 100-bedded ESI hospital on June 29 and fixed July 5 for inspection of the proposed land by ESI officials to ascertain the feasibility," Malla Reddy said in the letter, according to sources.
"Accordingly the ESI officials have inspected the proposed land on the scheduled date and the feasibility report by ESIC authorities is awaited. The further course of action in the matter is pending with ESIC authorities," he added.
The sources said Site Selection Committee in its findings said the said plot was "used as a dumping yard" by the Ramagundam municipality earlier and an incomplete waste processing unit was present there. It said there are two burial grounds - one abutting the proposed land and another in front of the park adjoining the proposed land.
The report said as on date of inspection, there is no direct entry access to the proposed site and one has to walk through the municipal park to reach it.
According to sources, the municipal commissioner informed the panel that the municipal park is going to be separated later from the proposed hospital site with a separate access road.
The report also said that there is no direct and dedicated access to the proposed hospital area from the main access road and the soil type is mostly gravel, the sources added.