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| How vital Swine flu Testing laboratory was meticulously denied to Jammu | | For more than three years, funds remain unspent, parked idly in state treasury | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 2: Thanks to the dilatory style of functioning of those at the helm in Government Medical College Jammu that the much-needed Swine flu testing laboratory that was ought to be established five years ago remained unestablished and funds meant for the purpose got lapsed entirely. Documents in possession of Early times reveal that after the outbreak of swine flu in Jammu during 2014-15, the Principal, Government Medical College (GMC), Jammu forwarded in February 2015 a detailed proposal for the creation of a separate isolation ward and a swine flu H1N1 laboratory for molecular diagnosis of swine flu and other epidemics, at an estimated cost of Rs 6.28 crore- Creation of separate isolation ward: Rs 2.98 crore; Creation of Swine flu H1N1 laboratory: Rs 3.30 crore- to the Commissioner Secretary, Health and Medical Education department. The Government approved in March 2015 the proposal and released Rs 6.30 crore under State plan with the condition to fulfill all codal formalities required under rules and ensure establishment of the laboratory within the shortest possible time. An amount of Rs one crore was then released by the GMC, Jammu to Executive Engineer (EE), Public Works Department, Roads and Buildings, Tawi Bridge cum Medical College Division, Jammu for construction of isolation ward for utilization during 2014-15. However, to avoid lapsing of funds at the close of the financial year 2014-15, an amount of Rs 5.30 crore- Machinery and equipment: Rs 3.30 crore; Civil works: Rs two crore- was also withdrawn in March 2015 from the treasury and parked in civil deposit (Major Head-8443). Out of Rs 5.30 crore held in the deposit head, Rs two crore were again advanced in January 2016 to the Executive Engineer for creation of isolation ward and the balance amount of Rs 3.30 crore continued to be held in the deposit head for the last three years.
An expenditure of Rs 2.85 crore- Isolation ward: Rs 2.61 crore; DG Set: Rs 0.21 crore and Cabling system: Rs 0.03 crore- was incurred on the creation of isolation ward which was completed in October 2015 and was being used for the treatment of suspected/ confirmed H1N1 influenza cases. An unspent balance of Rs 0.15 crore was also lying with the Executive Engineer.
Furthermore, on the recommendation of the Departmental purchase committee held on 23 September 2015, GMC Jammu entrusted in September 2015 the case for procurement and establishment of a laboratory to Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL). However, JKMSCL could not finalize the tenders and execute the project works over a period of more than three years, as a result of which the funds continued to remain parked idly.
Also, it has been noted that the injudicious action to withdraw funds from the treasury just to avoid their lapsing at the close of the financial year and the failure to utilize these funds during the last 3½ years, resulted in the parking of Rs 3.45 crore which includes includes an unspent balance of Rs 0.15 crore lying with the Executive Engineer in the deposit head, cost escalation and the intended objective of setting up of Swine flu testing laboratory could also not be achieved. It was also reported that three patients had died of swine flu during 2017-18 in GMC Jammu. |
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