Daily Times

LARKANA: A private canteen has been established illegally within the premises of Civil Hospital Block of the Chandka Medical College Hospital (CMCH), allegedly established by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), Larkana Chapter.

This was revealed in a letter sent by Dr. Inayatullah Kandhro, CMCH Medical Superintendent (MS) addressed to Secretary Health Department, copies of which were also sent to District & Sessions Judge, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, Larkana. In his letter Dr. Kandhro informed them that a private canteen has been established illegally by occupying government land within the premises of Civil Hospital few months ago for which there is no official record. They have constructed a large room, two bathrooms, one kitchen and one store due to which Hospital land measuring approximately 2,500 to 3,000 ft. has been encroached upon by unscrupulous people and they are running it on commercial basis creating a lot of problems for the patients & attendants as outsiders are also coming there, he said.

He further stated in the letter that the canteen has been established by the Pakistan Medical Association, Larkana Chapter, who has given it on an annual contract basis to a contractor who is using hospital electricity and other facilities unlawfully. The canteen is located behind the office of PMA, Larkana, he added. According to prevailing rules, he also wrote, government land cannot be allotted to anyone neither for photocopy machine, cold drink corner, nor could a private medical store be established within the hospital premises.

In this connection, he added, the previous commissioner who was later posted as Health Secretary as well had directed the then CMCH Medical Superintendent to stop the construction work of the canteen but the habitual land grabbers somehow managed it and the work continued.