E-Paper
Patients and attendants reel under acute water crisis
As many as seven hand pumps and all dry. This is the tale of Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital which promises to provide advance medical facilities to the patients but fails to provide even basic facilities like 24-hour clean drinking water.
As many as seven hand pumps and all dry. This is the tale of Tej Bahadur Sapru (Beli) Hospital which promises to provide advance medical facilities to the patients but fails to provide even basic facilities like 24-hour clean drinking water.
Last week two water coolers were installed at the 175-bed Beli Hospital. But they were not functioning properly due to which the people used to get only plain water. Also there is only one hand pump in working condition near the Emergency Ward. About half-a-dozen taps were also installed in different parts of the hospital but most of them have either been uprooted by the miscreants or not functioning.
Resident of Beli Gaon, Rajesh, said that due to heavy rush at OPD he had to wait for hours to get his relative examined at the hospital. "I could not get clean drinking water for my patient on the hospital campus. Fortunately my residence was just a stone's throw away from the hospital so I could fetch clean drinking water from there. But imagine the condition of those patients who have come from neighbouring districts and have to rely on hot tap water in the hospital. I was told by one of the hospital employee that about seven hand pumps were installed in the hospital campus in the past. But it seems they have been uprooted by some people," he added.
The attendants of 60-year-old Kamla Devi who was admitted to the hospital for a gall bladder stone operation two days back were also facing similar problem. "There is no facility of clean drinking water in the hospital, let aside cold water.
Daily I get food and clean drinking water from Soraon, about 25 kilometers away from here. My mother would remain in the hospital for one more week and till that time I'll have to fetch water from Soraon since we have no relatives in Allahabad," said Kamla Devi's son Santosh Kumar.
Chief medical superintendent of Beli Hospital Dr RB Singh said they have stopped payment of the firm which installed the water coolers. One water cooler has already been repaired and installed and the other one would also start functioning soon.
"As many as seven hand pumps would also be installed one each near Emergency, TB clinic, Eye OT, New Block, Sulabh toilets and kitchen. The boring work has already started. The water crisis is expected to get solved in another 15 days," he added.
