Shillong Medical College work awarded to firm with ‘criminal’ background
SHILLONG: The opposition NPP on Thursday questioned the Government for awarding the work to develop Shillong Medical College to a firm having a criminal back ground and demanded the cancellation of agreement with the firm even as questions were also raised for entrusting a Telecom company with the task of preparing the detailed project report for the Tura Medical College.
NPP legislator James K Sangma questioned the decision of the Government for handing over the proposed Medical College in Shillong to a firm with a dubious background.
“I am surprised that the Government had awarded the project for development of the medical college to the Kolkata based firm KPC group. This firm has lots of dubious background,” Sangma said during the Question Hour in the Assembly on Friday.
He said that the KPC Group has got as many as 21 cases of fraud and cheating in the superior court in the United States.
The NPP also questioned whether the Government was aware about the criminal background of this firm.
In reply, Health and Family Minister AL Hek said that the Government is not aware about the criminal background of the firm.
To a question of Sangma if the Government would cancel the agreement with the firm if it proves of being involved in fraud and cheating cases, Hek said that they have no reason to cancel the agreement since the Government does not have any kind of evidence to prove that the firm is involved in cheating or fraud cases.
When the NPP legislator asked for an assurance if the Government would investigate to ascertain the fact about the antecedents of the firm, Health and Family Welfare said that the Government will examine the matter.
Earlier, Hek had informed that the Concessionaire Agreement had been signed between the Government with the KPC Medical College and Hospital, Jadavpur for development and of hospital and medical college under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode at Reid Provincial Chest Hospital (RPCH), Shillong, adding that that the total estimated cost for the Shillong Medical College is Rs 250 crore.
“In the meantime, the land of RPCH hospital cannot be handed over since the hospital is yet to be shifted to new location at Umsawli, Mawdiangdiang. The process for construction of the new TB hospital is still going on,” Health and Family Minister said
However, in reply to a supplementary question of Opposition leader Dr Donkupar Roy on the status of the TB hospital, Hek said that almost 40 percent of the building of the TB Hospital is completed.
“We hope to shift the hospital to the new site at the earliest,” he added.
In relation to the Government medical college at Tura, Hek informed that the Government has acquired 99 acres of land for construction of the medical college at Balagre A’King and Jewilgre.
“A Letter of Award (LOA) of work for design and Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation and project management service for setting of the Government college-cum-hospital at Tura was issued to Telecommunications Consultant India Limited (TCIL),” Health and Family Minister said.
To a question on why a telecom company was brought as consultant for the Tura medical college, Hek said,” the firm is a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU).
Hek said that the project is scheduled for completion within 36 months from the date of the signing of the agreement.
To a supplementary question of independent legislator Saleng A Sangma if the Government had paid the compensation to all the land owners, Hek said that the Government had spent a total amount of Rs 3.40 crore for payment of the compensation to the land owners.