Collection of parking fees
TURA: The Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) has issued a final warning to the authorities of the Tura Civil Hospital to immediately put a stop to the ‘illegal’ collection of parking fees from visitors firmly asserting that it would not accept another explanation.
“Despite the public outcry and complaints from various angles the Civil Hospital authorities have not yet stopped their parking fee collection practice which is illegal. Instead of rendering service to the sick and the needy they are extorting visitors who come for treatment from all corners of Garo Hills,” the statement issued by G NLA joint publicity secretary, Garo Mandei Ch Marak said.
Downplaying the earlier explanation given by the authorities of the hospital that ‘it was collecting parking fees for the welfare of the patients’ as merely an excuse, the militant leader said that the exact opposite was happening and it was clear from the general opinion of the people that doctors were more interested to attend to their private clinics than to treat the patients while on duty at the hospital.
He said that nowhere in India or the world could one see hospital authorities collecting parking fees from visitors.
“The authorities of Tura Civil Hospital have defied the appeal of the GNLA, the NGOs and public. Now they must put a stop to this illegal practice immediately. We have given them enough time to stop this ill practice, now we don’t want another explanation,” Garo Mandei said.
“We warn hereby that all private clinics in Garo Hills must stop. Only the pharmacies will continue. All government doctors should attend to the sick patients only in the hospitals and not at private clinics run by any proprietor. We have also intel inputs that in many private run clinics adolescent young girls are going for abortions, which is detrimental to the society, the church and for parents and guardians,” the GNLA statement added and warned of action against any medical officer or doctor defying the order.