the goan I network
MARGAO
Hospicio has finally got a Hospital Visiting Committee headed by well-known city-based doctor, Dr Venkatesh Hegde, but Goa Forward party's reign on the panel appears supreme, with party sympathizers and former Margao municipal councilors finding a place on the committee.
While Dr Hegde will head the panel as its chairman, a background check of the remaining 10 members indicates that they are either sympathizers of the Goa Forward party headed by Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai or former councilors owing allegiance to the TCP Minister.
What's interesting to note is the fact that while majority of the members appointed on the Hospital Visiting panel are supporters and sympathizers of the regional outfit, there's no prominent member of the coalition partner, BJP, on the panel. This assumes significance since the TCP Minister had ensured the presence of BJP members on the SGPDA planning body as well as on the Ravindra Bhavan panel constituted a fortnight ago.
That's not all. While Hospicio hospital caters to entire Salcete, if not entire down South, most of the members on the Hospital Visiting Committee hail from Fatorda constituency, with Mehbooh Thakker, a resident of Sirvodem-Margao being the lone exception. Going by the notification, not a single citizen from Salcete has found a place on the panel.
The members come from Davondem to Mungul, Borda to Agalli, besides Goulliwaddo, Vidynagar and Pajifond, all areas coming under Fatorda constituency.
Prominent amongst those who have found a place on the Hospital panel are three former councilors who have worked tirelessly for the success of the Vijai Sardesai in Fatorda. They includes his close aide Johnny Crasto, besides formers city fathers, Raju Naik and Ramdas Hazare. Another notable member on the panel is Custodio Dias, a resident of Aguada, who along with his supporters had supported Sardesai in the February 4 election.
The brief of this hospital committee is to visit the hospital once a month and attend to complaints from the patients, if any, and forward the same to the Directorate of Health Services. A notification issued by the government said the committee shall make suggestions for improvement in the functioning of the hospital.
