Blame game extends sufferings

Patients, doctors and staffers of Faridpur General Hospital have to tolerate the obnoxious stench of untreated wastes dumped in the open sky as Faridpur municipality authority has stopped collecting wastes for two months.

According to sources at the hospital, the municipality has stopped collecting wastes from the hospital due to arrears of municipal tax. Faridpur General Hospital was established in 1917.

During a recent visit, this correspondent found that the hospital's dustbins can no longer contain the wastes and wastes were strewn on the road. Apart from the doctors, patients and nurses, the members of 16 families who live in three residential buildings inside the hospital premises have to endure the obnoxious odour while using the road.

Apart from the people associated with the hospital, the devotees of the surrounding area regularly offer prayers in the hospital mosque near the wastes.

Shamima Akter, 26, of Bakhunda area under Sadar upazila of Faridpur, who came to the hospital to treat her ailing son, said that the garbage was dumped near the diarrhoea ward and the stench emanating from the trash was sickening.

"We are suffering much as we have to use the road while bathing and collecting drinking water," she said.

Jalal Ahamed, head clerk of Faridpur Civil Surgeon's office, lives with family in the hospital quarter.

"The garbage is strewn on the road and we are forced to walk past it. This is polluting the surrounding areas and diseases are spreading in the hospital quarters," he said.

Md Sohidul Islam, the ward master of Faridpur General Hospital, said "We have to work daily taking health risks in a polluted environment. Health service is being hampered. The municipality has stopped taking garbage for at least the last two months due to arrears of municipal taxes. As a result, the people are suffering."

According to the sources at the Faridpur Civil Surgeon office, taxes equivalent to Tk one crore 84 lakh 12, 083 are due. The municipality has stopped removing the waste as the money has not been paid.

Amitabh Bose, mayor of Faridpur municipality, said "There is no chance to receive money this year without clearing the total outstanding. If one wants to pay this year's money, he has to pay it with arrears. As far as I know, the civil surgeon has received all the money but he is not paying the tax even after receiving it."

"How can I clean the wastes if I don't get the money?" he asked.

"I have to pay the employees. We have asked them several times to pay the arrears. They have got the money from the ministry but not paying us. The hospital authorities can clean up the wastes on their own initiative," the mayor added.

Siddiqur Rahman, superintendent of Faridpur General Hospital and civil surgeon of Faridpur, said the arrears had been deposited long before I came to this station. The tax should have been collected according to the year. Health Ministry has allocated Tk one crore 36 lakh for payment of arrears.

At the same time, the ministry asked the municipality and district accounts department to submit a report on why no money was deposited to clear the arrears before, he added.