Panchayat under fire for demolishing Covid facility

KOCHI: A grama panchayat’s decision to demolish a domiciliary care centre set up in 2020 spending Rs 50 lakh, to make it a polling booth for just-concluded assembly polls has put hundreds of Covid patients in the lurch. Many Covid patients in Arakuzha panchayat, Muvattupuzha, who do not have enough facilities at home to quarantine, are being forced to stay put at their homes, risking the further spread of the virus. 

The panchayat now has over 250 Covid patients. Many of them have no option but to stay with other family members at home. The issue has snowballed into a major controversy, with LDF threatening the UDF-ruled panchayat with corruption charges.

LDF representatives have complained that the temporary care centre constructed at Arakuzha government UP school was demolished under the cover of assembly polls to siphon off the plan fund of Rs 42 lakh. They claim that around Rs 8 lakh was collected by the panchayat through sponsorship. “The centre was constructed as First-Line Treatment Centre (FLTC). But as it lacked many facilities required for FLTC, the panchayat made it a domiciliary care centre. It only functioned for 51 days. 

They claim that when other permanent structures were available for setting up an FLTC, the temporary structure was set up to loot public money. “Also, the panchayat failed to communicate to the election officials that the school premises was converted to a Covid care centre. They were waiting for an opportunity to demolish it,” said CPM local secretary Sabu Joseph.

He said though the construction activities for the centre with 65 to 70 beds started in November 2020, it only became operational in January 2021. Local DYFI leader Jestin Jose said many patients in the panchayat do not have facilities at home to isolate themselves and the centre has been a big relief to many. “We never thought the panchayat would demolish it when Covid cases are on the rise,” he said.

‘ONLY CARRIED OUT EC DIRECTIVES’
Arakuzha panchayat president Omana Mohanan said that the temporary structure was demolished following Election Commission directives. “The temporary structure was dismantled after all patients tested negative and were sent home. We are setting up a similar facility again. It will be functional in two days,” she added.