MADURAI: Patients at Thoppur Government Hospital are uncomfortable with the overnight entry of unidentified individuals into the facility during nighttime hours. They mentioned that one section of the premises has a fence; the other three sides have no fence, which allows antisocial elements to be involved in inciting violence during late hours.
Speaking to TNIE, Rajesh, a kin of a patient from Virudhunagar, said, "My brother was admitted for food poisoning at Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai and transferred to this facility. This facility was good and neat, but we found the unidentified individuals moving into the premises at midnight. The next morning, we informed hospital authorities, who responded that there isn't any wall for the health facilities. This revelation was a shock to us. Although no unfortunate incidents have occurred, this news makes us feel worried."
According to sources, Thoppur Government Hospital, also known as Thoracic Medicine Thoppur hospital was constructed in the early 1960s, and it is spread over 115 acres in Austinpatti in Thoppur, 23 km away from Madurai. The institution is one of the largest facilities, which includes an infectious disease hospital (IDH), a cholera care centre, and a pain and palliative care centre.
A top medical officer of IDH said, "We are completely upset over the issue. The issue affects more than just the local population. Once, a truck moved through the land which is ours. We reported the incident to the local police, who issued a warning. When I took over as in charge, I decided to resolve the issue and checked the records of the land ownership. So, we decided to survey the land. Then it was found that according to land records, one section of our boundary had several other survey numbers (other landowners); it was found to be difficult to fence for the land. So, for another section, we had decided to construct the wall, but we have no fund allocation. For now, to bar the intrusion of trespassing, we are planning to saplings in one section of our boundary."
Since GRH Madurai controls the facility, the officials have assured us that they will ensure proper action.
Speaking to GRH Dean Dr L Arul Sundaresh Kumar said, "We are aware of the issue, and the fence problem will be resolved at the earliest. We have asked for the help of Madurai Collector K J Praveen Kumar to fund the fencing. Furthermore, we understand that real estate groups are expressing strong interest in the location due to the recent increase in land prices. We require fencing to prevent any encroachment on Thoppur GH's land."