Kamal Kumar Biswas.TOD.Balurghat
What should be a place of healing has, for years, resembled a marketplace for hay and timber. The campus of the Khaspur Rural Hospital in West Bengal’s Balurghat block has allegedly been under illegal occupation, with piles of hay, tree branches and logs stacked openly on government land—prompting growing public outrage and questions about administrative inaction.
The decades-old rural hospital serves nearly 20 to 25 surrounding villages and is a critical healthcare lifeline for thousands of residents. Yet visitors are often startled to find parts of its main premises effectively taken over by a thriving hay and wood business.
According to local residents, the encroachment has continued for years in plain sight. The business is reportedly run by a local man, Sushanta Maitra, also known as Habul, who has occupied a portion of the hospital grounds. Mr. Maitra has claimed that he is merely using vacant land and would remove his operation if formally instructed to do so.
Health officials acknowledge that the activity is unlawful. Aparna Sarkar, the Block Medical Officer of Health, said that conducting commercial activity on government hospital land is not permissible. She added that the absence of a boundary wall around the hospital has exacerbated the problem.
Still, residents are asking why no concrete action was taken earlier, despite the encroachment being visible for so long. From the block health office to the district health authorities, no effective intervention has been seen, locals say.
As public frustration mounts, villagers are demanding swift administrative action to reclaim the hospital premises and ensure that the institution can function with dignity and safety. For many here, the larger question remains unanswered: how did a vital public hospital quietly turn into a private trading yard, and who allowed it to happen?
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