MALAPPURAM: Extreme scarcity of drinking water has forced the Kottakkal Ayurveda Medical College to shut its door to inpatients from Monday. The supply of drinking water for the college and hospital has been stopped for the past four days affecting hundreds of patients and students besides the staff.
As the water sources in the campus had dried up, the college authorities were depending on the water supplied by the Kerala Water Authority and private suppliers. But the Water Authority has stopped daily supply of 35,000-40,000 litre of water citing shortage of voltage. In addition, with the stopping of a daily supply of 25,000 litre water by private suppliers without citing any reason, the hospital has plunged into a water crisis.
“The only way out of the crisis is to regulate the intake of patients in the hospital. We have decided to impose a temporary control on admitting new patients for an indefinite period from Monday,” said Dr. Eswara Sarma M.P, the principal of the college. The 150-bedded hospital is full of patients who were admitted earlier.
The administration has plans to vacate inpatients according to the nature of their treatments and impose strict control for bystanders. The medical college and hospital needs 90,000 litre of water a day. “Ayurveda treatment consumes comparatively more water due the nature of the medicine. The water shortage will also affect the quality of treatment as well as ayurveda education. Because of the ongoing exams we cannot declare a holiday for the students. The situation is becoming worse day by day,” Dr Saram said. He also added that the Medical College authorities have plans to approach the district collector who is also a member of the Executive Council of the college to sort out the issue soon.
The construction of a well in a nearby property of the collage remains stuck due to the protests of local residents. The medical college administration is in constant touch with the residents to complete the project which may bring solace to the hospital in a water crisis.
