Even after five years since the construction began, the staff quarter for the District hospital in Dagapela is still incomplete. This has led to a prolonged housing problem for the hospital staff.
The staff quarter should have been complete in May 2008. The construction site has been remaining idle since BBS last visited the site in 2009. The contractor has been penalised and dragged to the court in 2010. The court gave the contractor eight more months to complete the construction, which ends in February this year.
Our reporter, Pema Namgay, says that the hospital staff are bearing the brunt of the delay. More than eighty percent of the hospital staff, including the doctor, are living outside the hospital. Let us listen to what the Hospital staffs have to say.
“There are houses outside the hospital but they are charging high rent because of the Dagachhu hydropower project. So we cannot afford it. No one is taking care of our staff quarter construction,” said one of the supporting staff, Jai Kumar.
“I would like to say that the administration is very weak. They don’t take action. Who is responsible for that? I have to be within the hospital campus because I have to come at any time. But I am staying far away and it’s a problem for me and the patients too,” said Ram Prasad.
The contractor resumed the construction works following the court order but it has been stopped once again. If the contractor fails to complete the construction within the stipulated time, the court will start executing its judgment.
