Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Patiram
A nonpartisan citizens’ platform in West Bengal’s Dakshin Dinajpur district has renewed its demand for the establishment of a government medical college, sending formal petitions this week to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state’s health secretary.The organization, known as the Dakshin Dinajpur Government Medical College Establishment and Health Services Development Forum, said the appeal comes amid long-standing frustration over what residents describe as inadequate access to advanced medical care in the largely agrarian, economically underdeveloped district.
The demand is not new. In 2022, a primary school teacher from the Patiram area filed a public interest litigation before the Calcutta High Court seeking the creation of a medical college in the district. In early 2023, the court directed the state government to begin the process within six weeks. Forum members now say that, three years later, there has been little visible progress.Various local organizations have campaigned for years to bring a medical college to the district. The forum previously gathered nearly 10,000 signatures in support of the proposal and submitted them to the chief minister and the health department. It also organized street meetings in roughly 30 locations to mobilize public backing.
With state assembly elections approaching, the group has again sought to press its case.“Our district is backward and lacks industry. Transport links are not strong, and advanced medical services are almost nonexistent,” said Jagannath Biswas, a member of the forum. “In serious cases, patients are referred outside the district, which creates enormous hardship for lower- and middle-income families.”
Mr. Biswas argued that sufficient land is available within the Balurghat District Hospital campus, making it a practical site for the project and avoiding complications related to land acquisition.The forum said it hoped the renewed appeal would prompt swift action in the interest of the district’s large population, many of whom must currently travel long distances for specialized treatment.
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