A fresh controversy has erupted over the construction of new buildings at the Pathanamthitta General Hospital after the project engineer reportedly admitted that hurried execution of works ahead of the Assembly elections compromised the quality of the structures.

The disclosure was made during a meeting of the Hospital Management Committee (HMC) held on Friday evening in the presence of Aranmula legislator Abin Varkey. Following the revelation, the MLA and the district panchayat directed officials to inspect all construction works and conduct a detailed audit of accounts.

Confirming the development, district panchayat vice-president Aneesh Varikkannamala said the engineer representing the project consultant admitted that the works were carried out under political pressure without adequate quality checks. “When asked, the engineer said that wall plastering was rushed and white cement was applied before it had set. He also noted that only around 60 per cent of the work had been completed at the time of inauguration,” said Mr. Varikkannamala.

Taking serious note of the disclosure, Mr.Varkey has decided to examine all files related to the project, while district panchayat president Deenamma Roy has directed the officials concerned to produce all relevant records for verification. “A meeting of all stakeholders, including project engineers, contractors and subcontractors, will soon be convened to assess the structural stability of the buildings,” added Mr. Varikkannamala.

Hurried inauguration

The controversy stems from the inauguration of the under-construction Critical Care Block and OP Block at the hospital ahead of the elections, which had drawn criticism at the time. The Congress had alleged that the buildings were still halfway through construction and were being inaugurated at the instance of the then Health Minister Veena George, who was also the local legislator. The OP Block is being constructed over 31,200 square feet using ₹22.16 crore sanctioned under Nabard funding, while the Critical Care Block is being built with ₹23.62 crore under NHM funds.

Meanwhile, the Youth Congress has lodged a complaint with the Home Minister seeking a vigilance probe into alleged irregularities in the construction of the new hospital buildings. The complaint, filed by Nahas Pathanamthitta, also a member of the HMC, alleges political and administrative interference during construction of these two buildings. It further alleges lack of transparency in tender procedures and financial transactions and claims that the structural defects pose a safety risk to patients and the public.