Malappuram Cancer Centre in limbo

MALAPPURAM: The delay in the land transfer and lack of funds have become stumbling blocks for the much awaited Malappuram Cancer Centre and Research Institute. The government has not taken any decision so far to hand over the proposed land, which is owned by the department of revenue. The governing council of the institute headed by the chief minister had met in July after the new state government came to power. Though the meeting discussed both the issues, no progress has been made so far, said T. Sasidharan Nair, the special officer of the project.

The proposed centre, planned as the third such institute in the state after Regional Cancer Centre in Thiruvananthapuram and Malabar Cancer Centre in Thalassery, has no funds allotted in the budget. The former UDF government had decided to hand over 25 acres of land held by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation in Panakkad near Malappuram. But the files on the transfer remain stuck between health and finance departments, he said.

The former government had sanctioned Rs 1 crore for preliminary works at the Inkel Educity earlier this year. The project officer also shunned rumours that it would be shifted to another place in the district. The project includes a 300-bedded hospital. A 25-member charitable society headed by chief minister is its governing council.