NAGAPATTINAM: Residents of Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai revenue divisions are divided over the setting up of a medical college near Nagapattinam. The district administration proposed 20 acres in Orathur, 10 km from Nagapattinam town as site for the college.
“We welcome this move to set up the college in Nagapattinam. It would help in development of the area between Nagapattinam and Sikkal and the extension for up to 10 km. There would be more bus services, businesses would flourish and it would help Nagapattinam become a corporation soon,” said B Shihab of Nagapattinam Development Forum, a social media movement.
MLA M Thamimun Ansari said, “Nagapattinam is a tail-end delta district which is dependent on Tiruvarur and Thanjavur for govt medical colleges. Nagapattinam is the headquarters of the district and deserves a medical college near the town.”
However, those who oppose Nagapattinam as the location point out Tiruvarur Medical College is 32 km away and Vinayaka Missions Medical College & Hospitals in Karaikal is 25 km from Nagapattinam town. Of the other sites places considered, one was in Needur near Mayiladuthurai and another on private land near Nagore, near East Coast Road. “People in the northern parts of the district have to come through the toll plazas in Karaikal to Nagapattinam for treatment and medical emergencies. We had been saying the collectorate is far for us and the medical college would also be far. Mayiladuthurai should have its own medical college,” said G Gopiganesan, a farmer from Tharangambadi.
Many residents of Mayiladuthurai and surrounding blocks are critical of the move. They are already demanding the formation of a district with Mayiladuthurai as its headquarters.Now, they are even more upset after losing out to Nagapattinam for the medical college.
“Mayiladuthurai, which has a greater population in its revenue division, needs a medical college more than Nagapattinam. Also, Mayiladuthurai to located far away from the nearest medical colleges, which is not the case with Nagapattinam. Tiruvarur Medical College Hospital and Thanjavur Medical College Hospital are 80 km away and Rajah Muthiah Medical College is 40 km from our town,” said R Seyon, president, Mayuram Bar Association.
Speaking to TNIE, a senior Health Services department official said, “We did not have much in the way of choices as it was difficult to find 20 acres. If Orathur is rejected, we would suggest Needur near Mayiladuthurai. A religious group is ready to donate the land in Needur.”