Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 4: On 3rd consecutive day, today, thousands of patients admitted in Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu and its associated hospitals, remained deprived of free breakfast provided by the Government, as the concerned contractor has stopped supply due to non-payment of pending bills which is in crores.
According to the official sources, bills amounted to around Rs 1.7 crore have been pending against diet supplied by the concerned contractor in GMC Jammu and associated hospitals including, Super Speciality Hospital, Jammu and Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh Hospital (SMGS), Jammu, which the GMC authorities failed to clear despite several reminders to the administration.
Sources said that the concerned contractor had even served a prior notice to the GMC authorities to clear its pending dues by April 1 and warned to stop the supply of breakfast which comprises of a litre of milk, some sugar and four bread pieces, but despite that the GMC authorities failed to clear the pending dues, which forced the supplier to stop supply of breakfast to the patients from April 2.
“The breakfast supply has also been stopped at Government Hospitals at Gandhi Nagar and Sarwal due to non-payment of outstanding amount. However, the supply is still continuing in cancer ward of SMGS hospital”, they added.
An official of the supplier firm told that the GMC Jammu and its associated hospitals owe a liability of Rs 1.7 crore on account of supply of breakfast to the in-patients and due to non-payment by the hospital authorities, the firm has failed to pay dues amounted to Rs 88 lakh of milk supplying agency, which in turn has stopped supply of milk to the firm.
“In these circumstances, the firm is feeling helpless to continue breakfast supply”, he said, adding, this was also conveyed to the hospital authorities but they did not bother due to which the situation has arisen.
When contacted, Principal, GMC Jammu, Dr Sunanda Raina said that they have written to the Government to provide funds so that pending liabilities may be cleared. She said that these liabilities are not only of financial year 2017-18 but of last many years which have now accumulated into a big amount.
However, Dr Sunanda said that the breakfast supplier has agreed to start the supply as he has been assured to clear all pending dues. “Hopefully, the supply will be started from tomorrow”, she added.
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