Mobile eye care, Govt hospital gets 4-bedded ICU for senior citizens in Udupi

Mobile eye care, Govt hospital gets 4-bedded ICU for senior citizens in Udupi

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, July 9, 2017: Speaking after inaugurating ICU units for the aged people at Udupi district government hospital, District In-Charge Minister Pramod Madhwaraj said "the differences between ministers and bureaucrats have led to delay in the decision taken towards introducing separate sand policy for the coastal districts".

The minister went on to say  that the chief minister will come up with a separate policy for sand extraction in the districts bordering sea in the state. However, it would have happened by now, but is delayed due to the administrative preoccupations, he said.

The bureaucrats are of the opinion that there would be no two separate policies in the same state. The district administration has strictly followed the rules put forth by the Ministry of Forest following the directions issued by the National Green Tribunal. The licenses issued in the area of CRZ are verified. The sand extraction is being withheld in CRZ area till August 1 as the ban on fishing would be in place till July-end. After the restricted period, there would be no scarcity of sand. Four blocks have been assigned to the four departments in non-CRZ area for sand extraction, he added.

JNNURM buses : On the stay order brought against the plying of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) buses by private bus operators association, the minister said that he would not yield to the pressure by the private lobbies.  "The buses are introduced for the benefits of public. I will speak to the transport minister to initiate necessary measures in the direction of vacating the stay order. BJP has unnecessarily supported the Private Bus Owners’ Association to stalk the JNNRUM buses by bring stay order," Madhwaraj charged.

As many as 55 permits are cancelled, the government would go for appeal. The case is admitted for hearing and veteran advocate Harnalli Ashok would argue the case. The interim order would be challenged, he said and added that temporary permits would be issued and measures are taken wherein four buses will run. The RTA will take care of the temporary permits, he added.  Madhwaraj said he has directed the DC and the SP to look into the violations of private buses and penalise the operators.

ICU for Sr citizens :  Minister Madhwaraj  said that as there is scarcity of expert doctors, the district hospital does not have necessary health care facilities. The hospital, which is initially a taluk hospital, is being upgraded to district hospital after 19 years. The sanctioned strength of doctors has gone up to 27, including super speciality doctors. Another physician will quit KMC, Manipal and join the government hospital on contract shortly. Twelve nurses have been inducted newly and the number of nurses now increased to 28 and there is no shortage of nurses, he added.
He said quality health care facilities have bee provided. The four-bed ICUs for seniors citizens is opened at a cost Rs 12 lakh per ICU. The ICU has proper ventilators and air conditioned. Health camps are organised in rural areas and patients would be brought from distant areas and treated, he added.  Health department has set up four ventilators for the ICU. Funds for this has been met from national award that Udupi zilla panchayat received in 2015-16.

Meenakshi Madhav Bannanje, president, Udupi CMC, Sheela Shetty, vice-president, Zilla Panchayat, Dr Madhusudan Naik, district surgeon and others were present.