Latest News | .HAMIRPUR/SHIMLA DES29 HP-HOSPITAL-LD PROTEST-HIGHWAY Himachal: Hamirpur Residents Block Shimla-Dharamshala NH over Closure of Charitable Hospital
Get latest articles and stories on Latest News at LatestLY. Hamirpur/ Hundreds of Hamirpur residents on Thursday blocked the Shimla-Dharamshala National Highway for about three hours over the closure of a charitable hospital run by Radha Soami Satsang Beas here.
Hamirpur/ Shimla, Nov 28 (PTI) Hundreds of Hamirpur residents on Thursday blocked the Shimla-Dharamshala National Highway for about three hours over the closure of a charitable hospital run by Radha Soami Satsang Beas here.
Protestors, who blocked the roads at Sulangan, Budhwin Chowk and Salauni at intervals, affecting vehicular movement on both sides of the road, said that a massive demonstration would be held at Bhota Chowk on Friday.
The demonstrations started on Monday after the sect put up a notice on the hospital's main gate informing people that it will not be able to give its services from December 1.
Demanding a written assurance or notification from the state government that the hospital would not be closed, the protestors have warned of road blockades daily from 10 am to 4 pm if their demands are not met.
The protesters were served lunch and tea on the spot by villagers. Senior revenue and police officers were also present at the spot to maintain law and order situation.
Located in the foothills of Himalayas, the 75-bed hospital on the Hamirpur-Shimla highway gives free medical facilities to patients and has been running since 2000.
The charitable hospital caters to lakhs of people from over 900 villages in its 15 km radius. It is spread over an area of about 64 acres, for which the land was donated by several locals.
The Radha Soami Satsang Beas wishes to transfer it to Maharaj Jagat Singh Medical Relief Society, which the sect terms as its sister organisation.
The sect had approached the state government to transfer the hospital's land to its sister organisation but is facing some issues under the land ceiling act. The request for the transfer was made to obtain GST exemption in the purchase of machinery and other equipment to upgrade the hospital facilities.
Hospital administrator Colonel Jaggi (retired) had said that notice was put up on the gate following the orders of the sect management as so far no written assurance has been received from the state government.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had maintained that the state government is contemplating to bring an ordinance for making provision in the Himachal Pradesh Ceiling on Land Holding Act, 1972 to transfer the land.
"Legal aspects would be considered to make provision in this regard and the matter would be discussed in the winter session of assembly and if any changes have to be made in the law that will also be done, " he had added.
However, legal experts opined that there is no merit in the submission made by the Radha Soami Satsang Beas has been allowed to hold land beyond permissible limit under Section 5 (i) of the ceiling act with a condition that the land cannot be transferred.
In regard to submission to sister organisation, the experts said, "All the organisations registered under the registration of Societies Act 1860 have independent identity and being different jurist persons, no benefit can be derived on this basis." Moreover, the transfer is being made to evade tax which is illegal and immoral and in case transfer is allowed, similar demands would come from others, they said.
The issue has taken a political turn as the BJP has extended its full support to the people.
Former chief minister P K Dhumal who was instrumental in opening of this hospital in 1999-2000 said that the state government should ensure smooth running of the hospital in the public interest as such charitable health institutes are beneficial for both the government and the public.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)