CUTTACK: THE newly constructed modern speech therapy unit set up on premises of Swami Vivekananda National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR) under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment at Olatpur has been lying defunct since the beginning. As a result, hundreds of speech and hearing impaired patients coming from different parts of the State to the premier institute of India have been deprived of necessary treatment.
The unit was constructed through Central Public Works Department (CPWD) at a cost of `10 lakh in July 2107 to provide treatment to speech and hearing impaired patients. But, from the day of operation, fungus spread in the building due to constructional defects damaging the costly speech therapy machines and equipment. Moreover, the soundproof doors of the unit are not functioning properly. Besides, the three air condition systems installed inside the unit have been lying defunct for the last several months. In spite of repeated complaints by the institute, the authorities of CPWD are not rectifying the defects to make the unit functional.
Sources said the authority of SVNIRTAR had made last intimation to CPWD in this connection on April 27, 2018. Acting on the letter, though the CPWD engineers visited the institute, inspected the unit, took photographs of the defects and assured to take up necessary work for rectification of the defects at the earliest, no action has yet been initiated for the same. Director, SVNIRTAR, Dr Shakti Prasad Das said on receipt of repeated complaints from Dr Jaysankar Panda, Head of Speech and Hearing Therapy Department, he has been pursuing with CPWD for rectifying the defects on urgent basis. The authorities of CPWD were not available for comment.