Residents of Keelapuliyur oppose construction of new PHC building, vouch for unused one

PERAMBALUR: Instead of a new building for the recently-announced government primary health centre in Keelapuliyur panchayat in Perambalur, the dispensary building, built in 2006 in K Pudur village, now not in use, could be made use of for the purpose, the residents of Keelapuliyur demanded. Keelapuliyur panchayat is in Kunnam taluk.

The villages of K Pudur, Sirugudal and Ceylon Colony come under this panchayat. More than 6,000 people reside here. About two weeks ago, Health Minister Ma Subramaniam announced a Primary Health Center (PHC) for the panchayat. However, the residents of Pudur filed a petition with District Collector P Sri Venkada Priya to use the dispensary building for the PHC.

Collector Priya assured them of action. The dispensary building was built on September 3, 2006, for the functioning of an allopathic dispensary. The dispensary, following a government order, ceased its operations in 2013, and since then, the building has been lying unused. The building was constructed in about 5 acres of land donated by the residents.

Soon after the official announcement for the PHC, the village youths pooled money to clean the building premises. K Kalairaja, a resident of K Pudur, told TNIE, "The construction of a new building involves a hefty sum and it is time-consuming too.

Instead, the dispensary building could be renovated and used in place. This will benefit both the people and the government." R Pandiyan, another resident, said, "The building, which was donated by the people here for a collective cause, has been abandoned and ridden with wild shrubs for years. Now is the right opportunity to renovate and bring it back to life again.

We are doing the best from our part by cleaning and removing plants from its premises." M Senthilkumar, the Deputy Director of Health Services, told TNIE, "Government schemes are for the benefit of the people. So, we will take it into consideration, inspect the building premises and take action based on it."