Rakhra-led society fails to raise PIMS infra, but no stick yet

JALANDHAR: Akali minister Surjit Singh Rakhra- led charitable society has failed miserably to provide “mandatory” infrastructure to run the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in the past three years, but the PIMS society governing body led by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday preferred not to initiate any punitive measures as per norms, and instead referred the issue to a steering committee for consideration.

In a 15- minute meeting of the governing body presided over by the chief minister at Chandigarh, it was decided to refer issues pertaining to concession agreement’s repeated violations by the Rakhra- led society to the steering committee headed by the chief secretary.

The PIMS was allotted to the Rakhra-led society on 99 years’ lease in the public private partnership (PPP) mode. It is a 500bed hospital and runs a medical college with 100 MBBS seats.

A section of the PIMS staff had observed a strike owing to the management’s failure to pay them salaries on regular intervals, thus affecting the delivery of health services, but the issue of employees and patients’ harassment did not figure on the agenda of the meeting.

The agenda read that it was mandatory for the PIMS society to construct multi-storied accommodation for the faculty, separate hostels for girls, boys, interns and residents, an auditorium, at least 500-bed teaching/general hospital and a serai with minimum occupancy of 250 people. But it failed to comply with these conditions till date. It was mandated to complete such works within one month before the start of academic session.

“The session started in 2011-12. The governing body extended time limit up to June 30, 2012, but construction work has not started till date,” the agenda said.