BJP asks govt to enable docs to purchase land in state

SHILLONG, Oct 23: Airing concern over the “exodus” of doctors and health specialists from Meghalaya reportedly due to their inability to own land in Meghalaya, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has exhorted the government to enable the doctors to purchase land in the state.
State BJP leader AL Hek on Sunday said that when Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers are eligible to get land in the state despite not being entitled to due to Meghalaya Land Transfer Act, why is there disparity when it comes to doctors serving in Meghalaya.
Accentuating the need to perpetuate the services of doctors in Meghalaya, the BJP leader said, “We should apply the same method so that we can retain the doctors, and their families can come here.”
Hek maintained that while IAS and IPS officers may not render services in the state forever, the doctors, on the other hand, may do otherwise.
Alleging that many doctors and specialists have left Meghalaya because of non-provision of lands, he said that the government must take some right measures in this regard.
The statement of Hek assumes significance as many doctors from different hospitals, including from the prestigious North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), have left Meghalaya as they are not eligible to buy land and get other facilities in the state.
The BJP leader also informed that he has been receiving a slew of complaints from people about lacunae in the Health department.
Referring to 108 ambulance services, Hek said that prior to the state government takeover, the services were satisfactory and smooth, much to the benefit of the people.
After the government took over the services, people have started complaining about the services, he rued.
It may be mentioned that the NEIGRIHMS, few months ago, was staring at manpower crisis after several doctors from the institute had reportedly expressed their desire to leave the state and join the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Guwahati.
They had even applied for the ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the institute but the then Director DM Thappa had rejected their applications.