Kolkata: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee Friday condemned vandalism and violence that rocked CMRI Hospital Wednesday.
“What is the need to get involved in quarrel, fighting and ransacking hospitals? I will hold a meeting with the hospital authorities. I will take decisions to stop these practices,” Ms Banerjee said at the inauguration of a booster pumping station at Harish Park in Bhowanipore, less than a kilometre away from her Kalighat residence.
“Our slogan should be for building and constructing, and not of destruction and vandalism. Let’s put an end to the practice of vandalism for the betterment of Bengal,” she said.
“It is because of this politics of destruction that industries have not come to Bengal and employment has suffered,” she said, asking people to come to the discussion table and solve their problems.
Ms Banerjee, who also holds the health portfolio, said the state health services were the best in India. State-run hospitals offer free medical tests such as MRI, CT scan and stent surgery completely free.
“I am proud to say that the health services offered at state-run hospitals are the best. When we came to power in 2011, institutional delivery was 65 per cent. Now we have made it 90 per cent. SNCU’s , mother and child hub and milk bank have been set up at SSKM Hospital,” she added. She said the entire infrastructure of different hospitals in the state has seen a complete overhaul.
Later, while leaving the state secretariat, the chief minister told reporters that she will hold a meeting at Town Hall on February 22. A source said officials from the Kolkata police and private hospital officials will be present in the meeting to work out a strategy on how to stop vandalism at hospitals.
