Selja alleges irregularities in Panchkula civil hospital’s building

Highlighting the shortcomings, Selja said sewage pipes were left open inside doctors’ rooms, conference halls and patient wards

The general secretary of the All India Congress Committee and former Union minister Kumari Selja on Wednesday alleged irregularities in the construction of the 11-storey general hospital building in Sector 6, Panchkula, despite increasing the budget.

The general secretary of the All India Congress Committee and former Union minister Kumari Selja released a statement to the media, alleging irregularities in Panchkula civil hospital’s construction. (Sanjeev Verma/HT)

“The budget for this construction was increased from ₹47 crores to ₹113 crore, yet the necessary arrangements were not made in the building as required for a hospital. Now, a special audit of the building should be conducted,” Selja said in a statement released to the media.

Highlighting the shortcomings, she said sewage pipes were left open inside doctors’ rooms, conference halls and patient wards. “Some floors also have open AC ducts. When doctors suggested covering them, the PWD officers responded that there was no provision for false ceiling. In such a scenario, whenever a sewage pipe leaks or an AC duct drips, it will be difficult to sit in the rooms.”

Selja added that no provision was made for handwashing facilities at the proposed OPD, lab or sample collection centres. “These shortcomings were deliberately left during construction so that the government could increase the budget again and distribute government funds arbitrarily,” she alleged.