Foundation stone laid for CCU in Gidderbaha amid ongoing location controversy
Amid ongoing debates and controversy over the location of the proposed Critical Care Unit (CCU), AAP MLA from Gidderbaha, Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon, laid the foundation stone for the new facility at the Gidderbaha Civil Hospital on Wednesday.
The move comes at a time when several locals and politicians from Muktsar town have expressed their disagreement regarding the CCU’s location, demanding that it be established in the district headquarters at Muktsar instead.
On Wednesday evening, Dimpy posted photos of the foundation stone laying ceremony on his Facebook page and thanked Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for supporting the project worth Rs 16.73 crore.
Speaking over the phone today, Dr Rashmi Chawla, senior medical officer (SMO), Gidderbaha Civil Hospital, said, “The foundation stone laying ceremony for the CCU was organised by the Public Works Department (PWD).”
Notably, the 50-bed CCU is slated to be constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM).
Meanwhile, Anurag Sharma, a resident of Muktsar, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. During its hearing on Tuesday, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel adjourned the matter to July 22 after the state’s counsel informed the court that an affidavit would be submitted within the week.
Earlier, on April 30, the court had sought a response from the concerned authorities regarding the relocation of the proposed CCU from the district hospital in Muktsar to the Gidderbaha subdivision and had listed the matter for hearing on May 20.
Notably, the district health officials have cited the unavailability of suitable land in Muktsar town, including at the Civil Hospital premises, as the reason for shifting the project to Gidderbaha.
The relocation of the proposed healthcare facility has sparked widespread resentment among Muktsar residents, who have accused the authorities of neglecting the district’s healthcare needs. Several residents have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, and senior health officials, demanding that the decision be reversed.
Adding weight to the public outcry, BJP leader and former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, who is in-charge of Punjab affairs for the party, has also written to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, seeking his intervention to ensure the CCU is established in Muktsar.
