After ordering inquiry against it, BJP netas start KT Nagar Covid hospital with fanfare

NAGPUR: Lying unused for 11 months following protests by citizens and largely BJP corporators, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) started a 120-bed Covid hospital at KT Nagar on Tuesday. All the 25 beds were occupied within two hours. The hospital will be run by the Shree Ramesh Fuke (Patil) Charitable Trust.
BJP netas Nitin Gadkari (city MP and Union minister), Devendra Fadnavis (leader of opposition) and Dayashankar Tiwari (mayor) inaugurated the hospital. BJP MLC Parinay Fuke is the secretary of the trust while it is headed by Pravin Jain and Narendra Jichkar.
Fuke told TOI that 75 more beds with oxygen supply will be set up in the next 10-15 days. “We are also planning to start ICU with 20 beds soon,” he said.
The trust needs 100 more oxygen cylinders to admit patients on all beds. “The trust procured 60 jumbo oxygen cylinders and has appointed doctors and staff. Gadkari helped by providing 50 cylinders and NMC another 25,” said Fuke.
In a press release, the NMC said mild patients with CT score below 8 and oxygen saturation level not less than 92 will be admitted for treatment at the hospital.
On April 7, TOI had reported that NMC was not bringing the Covid hospital at KT Nagar and Pachpaoli women’s hospital to use even though there was a scramble for beds. After KT Nagar, municipal commissioner Radhakrishnan B is set sign the deal for a 110-bed Covid hospital with the help of NGO Asra Foundation at Pachpaoli Women’s Hospital next week. The construction of an oxygen tank is underway there.
Using money from the state disaster management fund, the NMC in April last had proposed to start five Covid hospitals with 470 beds including in 50 ICU. Former municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, ex-chief medical officer Dr Yogendra Savai and additional chief medical officer Dr Praveen Gantawar had even set up all five in May and June.
The hospital at KT Nagar got put off following protests by local residents. Then, few BJP corporators and one from Congress alleged that the hospital was constructed in an unauthorized manner as the hall was reserved for a market.
The NMC general body ordered an inquiry on officials under the then standing committee chairman Vijay Zalke following demands from corporators including Tiwari. The inquiry committee in its report said officials had violated norms and action should be taken against them. The hospital plan then got abandoned.
In another press release, the NMC said the administration has increased the number of beds from 1,514 in September last year to 7,144 now. “As on September 28, 2020, there were 1,144 beds with oxygen supply, 316 in ICU and 236 beds with ventilators. Beds were increased to 3,913 by December last year, 4,682 by March 31, 5,553 by April 12 and 6,387 by April 18,” it said.