Kochi: Even as Health Minister K.K. Shailaja is set to visit Kochi on Tuesday, Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer movement which has been campaigning for the Kochi Cancer Institute has submitted a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan demanding immediate measures to establish the institute which was the dream of Justice Krishna Iyer.
The state government headed by Oommen Chandy had approved the Rs 450-crore project report prepared by the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation and the loan offer of Ernakulam District Cooperative Bank. Though a society – Cochin Cancer and Research Centre Society – chaired by the chief minister was formed with the appointment of Ms Asha Thomas as special officer and Dr V.P. Gangadharan as special officer (technical), further steps were not taken up, alleged the representatives of the movement.
The work on the institute has come almost to a standstill with the resignation of Ms Asha Thomas though district collector M.G. Rajamanickam has taken charge as special officer. The foundation stone for the institute proposed on the 35 acres of land at the Cochin Medical College was laid on August 18, 2014.
It was promised that the project would be commissioned in two years which was mentioned in three consecutive annual budgets with just an allocation of Rs. 20 crore in 2016 –17 interim budget. The new budget to be presented by Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac is eagerly awaited by the people of Kochi on the allocation for the cancer centre. The work on the first phase of the outpatient wing of the institute is almost over and its inauguration is set to take place after placing the required staff this month itself.
