Unfazed by the protests over leasing out of 10 acres of land of Victoria Memorial Home Residential School, Saroornagar, to the Home Department for construction of Rachakonda Police Commissioner’s office, the Telangana government is going ahead with one more proposal to set up a multi speciality hospital on the premises.
It is learnt that the proposal is being actively pursued by the Health, Medical and Family Welfare (HM&FW) department, despite objections from the SC Development Department.
The first indication towards this came when a government order in January this year accorded permission to engage consultants for preparation of plans and estimates for construction of 500-bedded multi-speciality and 250-bedded Mother and Child Hospitals at four locations in the city, one of which is the Victoria Memorial Home premises.
Legal provisions
In June, the HM&FW Secretary Ajay Mishra forwarded the proposal by the Health ministry for alienation of 20 acres of land for the hospital, to the Director SCD, asking the latter to furnish his report or remarks. A report was duly sought from the authorities of the home.
In a letter addressed to the SCD Director on June 28, the honorary secretary of the Home mentioned that the Home was established in 1903 by the Sixth Nizam Mir Mehboob Ali Khan Bahadur with the main objective of educating orphan boys and girls and providing them free accommodation and food.
Mentioning that the Home’s properties were registered under the Hindu Charitable and Religious Act, and also the Public Societies Registration Act, the letter detailed the objectives of the Home which were entirely related to education.
Earlier cases
The letter also provided legal opinion obtained when similar requests were made earlier by the Hyderabad Metro Rail, TSRTC and GHMC for various purposes.
The opinion by a senior High Court advocate said the properties belonged to the Trust and not government, and that the Nizam Endowment clearly indicated that the gift was for charitable purposes, with the objectives mentioned in the memorandum.
Notwithstanding the report or legal opinion, it is reliably learnt that the government is going ahead with its proposal to set up a multi speciality hospital there.
It may be recalled that similar report was given by the SCD in case of Rachakonda police commissionerate too, but the government has nevertheless issued an order leasing out 10 acres.
Call to protect
The Home is governed by an Executive Committee chaired by the Minister for SC Development (SCD). Governor is the Chief Patron.
As of now, relay hunger strikes are going on under the banner of ‘Save Victoria Home Lands Committee’ with the demand to withdraw the order allocating land to the police commissionerate.
Academic and activist G.Haragopal, addressing the gathering on Saturday, urged upon the civil society to intervene to safeguard the age-old institution.