CCU to come up at Gidderbaha, not Muktsar; Health Minister cites land unavailability

A 50-bed Critical Care Unit (CCU) to be built under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PMABHIM) will come up at Gidderbaha, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said during a recent visit to Muktsar town.

He met with some local residents and informed them that it was a race against time, as the process needed to be completed before March 31.

During a meeting with them at the district administrative complex (DAC), he publicly said, “Our officials tried, but no land was available at Muktsar Civil Hospital. I will sanction a critical care unit for Muktsar as well. You just help us find suitable land for this purpose.”

Notably, residents of Muktsar town are up in arms over the shifting of the proposed healthcare facility and have held a protest march in the town. In addition, they have written to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and concerned officials to halt the transfer of the project to Gidderbaha.   Some local residents are now even planning to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the High Court. Dr Jagdeep Chawla, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Muktsar, has already said that the required land for the CCU was not available at Muktsar Civil Hospital.

“We had identified some land parcels and written to the Director of Health and Family Welfare, requesting permission to construct the CCU at any of those sites. However, the project requires nearly one acre of land, which is available at Gidderbaha Civil Hospital. Hence, the higher authorities decided to construct it there. I am not aware of the current status of the project,” he said recently.