THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Decks are cleared for the reopening of the Idukki Medical College Hospital after the Revenue department issued order to hand over 40 acres of revenue land to the Health Department to set up a full-fledged medical college.The Idukki Government MCH, which started in 2014 with 50 MBBS seats, was de-recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI) in 2016 for want of necessary infrastructure and faculty posts, Following this, the LDF Government had to accommodate 100 MBBS students in other government medical colleges.
The order issued by additional chief secretary P H Kurien said the land can be handed over to Health and Family Welfare department (Medical Education) based on the the Revenue Department’s conditions.
The land allotted for the project can’t be used for any other purpose and it can’t be leased out. The land should also be protected from any form of encroachment by constructing compound wall around the site, the order said. The land will be revested with the Revenue Department if any condition is violated, the order said.
Earlier, Idukki district administration and land revenue commissioner had recommended to fix the price of the land, and trees and buildings in it, at `25.87 crore. Health Minister K K Shylaja said once the formalities are over the department will submit a letter of permit to MCI seeking permission to begin classes from the next academic year.
The department has already begun the construction of a three-storey structure which is expected to be completed by November. The foundation stone was laid for the construction of students’ hostel and staff quarters, the absence of which were reasons for de-recognition.
Since the district hospital would be annexed with the new MCH, students to be enrolled in the first year batches will have the pre-clinical facilities, which will be increased in a phased manner, along with creating posts required for commencing the classes, she said. The number of seats available in the MCH will be decided later, she added.
Idukki Impasse
Classes at the Idukki Government Medical
College will begin fromnext academic year
Health Dept to submita letter of permit to the Medical Council of India once the formalities
are over
Idukki MCH, with 50 MBBS seats, was started in September 2014, without creating either the necessary infrastructureor faculty posts
Later, it was de-recognised by the MCI for wantof facilities
Following this, the LDF Government had to accommodate 100 MBBS students and staff in other government medical colleges