ESIS assets in city on verge of collapse

 

 

A hospital is the first place that a person heads to for getting oneself cured, but when the building housing the treatment centre itself needs treatment then what should one do? The question arises as the State run Employees State Insurance Scheme (ESIS) assets in city, the hospital, and the OPD at Raghuji Nagar and Vidarbha ESIS Office building at Imambada are on the verge of collapse and this is certified by Public Works Department (PWD). PWD was gracious enough to put up a warning note for the visitors, as nearly 3.50 lakh worker are enrolled with ESIS in region. The hospital, OPD caters to industrial employees and their dependants, but precarious state of buildings in Raghuji Nagar is owing to indifference on part of officials of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), alleged Mukund Muley, Secretary, Rashtriya Mazdoor Congress (INTUC), Nagpur District Unit.

 

The hospital and OPD buildings are separated by open space but are housed within same land mass, just few meters apart. Although the State organisation name has metaphor of Improvement, the way officials of NIT are working, atleast in case of ESIS case, their action betrays the purpose with which it was established, he feels. Mukund is fighting a single handed battle to save the hospital land from being diverted to more lucrative purpose as past actions by NIT officials already provided the hint of their intentions. He said the ESIS Hospital building has completed 53-years, normally concrete structures has design life of 60-years in normal circumstance. But given the lack of maintenance of Government buildings, and the fact that ESIS structures are beyond 50-years, time is ripe for their rebuilding. Knowing well that structure of ESIS building has grown weak, PWD a month back pasted a notice for visitors, they number over 100 daily, that they should visit the Hospital and dispensary at their own risk. The disclaimer is put in place as the buildings are structurally weak and showing signs of wear and tear. So in case of any eventuality no official would be responsible and hence the precaution.

 

Muley said the hospital was sanctioned 1.6 acre land in Raghuji Nagar for construction of a new hospital as the present building and the plot that also houses a dispensary needed new structure. With industrial workers and contributors of ESIS increasing, the need for a state of the art hospital was needed. However NIT officials since last few years it seems are hell bent on preventing the construction of a hospital for industrial workers, claimed Muley as he pointed out that the Government agency illegally constructed a Samaj Bhavan on land earmarked for ESIS. This reduced the total land availability but still 16,000 sq.mtrs land is available and same should be utilised for construction of new hospital building. Muley further said PWD is ready to construct the new hospital building but somehow officials of NIT are not ready to provide their NoC for the same. The land rights are vested with NIT and for the construction of new building, former must given clearance. Fed-up with indifferent stance of NIT official, Muley dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Office and listed his grievance. The PMO wrote back to Chairman, NIT, asking him to take appropriate action. This was in 2019 but till date nothing has moved shows the power of NIT officials and they can even defy PMO. PWD has similarly put up warnings at other structure of ESIS, its Vidarbha Region Office at Imambada, as the condition of building is not good. The notice asks people to stay away as they could collapse any time.