Hek slams govt for scrapping agreement

SHILLONG, March 30: Former Health minister and BJP leader, AL Hek on Wednesday questioned the state government’s decision to scrap the agreement with the Kolkata-based Kali Pradip Chaudhuri (KPC) Group for development of the Shillong Medical College considering the acute shortage of specialists in the state.
“I do not understand why the government scrapped the agreement since the delay was not from the KPC side. During my tenure (as health minister) also the delay was from government side since the Health department could not hand over the land to them,” the former Health minister said.
He recalled that despite the KPC Group agreeing to shift the site from TB Hospital in Jhalupara to Umsawli, the state government was unable to hand over the land to them.
“How will the KPC start the work when land was not handed over to them,” he questioned.
The BJP leader pointed out to the acute shortage of medical specialists in the state and said establishment of Shillong Medical College would have helped fill the void.