Hospital Trust Is Harassing Us

Afternoon Voice

Mumbai:- Residents of Mazgaon chawl have several complaints against an ISO recognized hospital Prince Aly Khan based in Mazgaon Nesbit Road. After completion of 150 years of chawl no-19, 15, 12, 13 & 9 which is in a bad condition Hospital authorities are not showing any signs to redevelop these chawls, which can fall any time and which may kill several people. Its already been two years since the home of the tenants is supported by temporary Bamboo Pillars which gives inconvenience as well as threat of falling down to residents who live there.

Hamid Khan who is a tenant of chawl no 15 which is just behind the hospital’s OPD is trying hard to find a solution between the authorities of Prince Aly Khan hospital and the tenants but there is no progress as the hospital is not talking to them at all in written. Hamid’s brother who is a handicap by birth find inconvenient to walk in their house as their house is full of Bamboo pillars. Since last 18 months residents of these chawls are receiving dirty water which can’t be use for drinking or cooking purpose. Every day plasters fall from the wall as well as ceilings and day by day cracks appear to be larger in number in their house. Hamid wrote several letters to the authority to clean the backyard of the Hospital which is not good for the cancer patients as well as for the tenants but the authorities kept a blind side on it. Due to all this Hamid approached Aafreen Faiyyaz (Corporator of E Ward), after which the very next day BMC cleaned the backyard of Hospital.

A senior citizen and a resident of chawl no-15, Karim Ali Ladak has also become a victim of hospitals harassment which they have to bear everyday. Karim’s house lies inside the hospital which is between the Cancer Ward and OPD of Prince Aly Khan Hospital. Karim informed AV that under the lavish premises of hospital any visitors or guest of Karim is been questioned everyday by the hospitals security. Hamid who have collected a bundle of documents from BMC and Old Custom house was shocked when he came across through a document issued by Old Custom survey no-376, which showed that there is a proposed hospital on his house where he stays. Where Hamid has never signed any documents of consent in last 20 years neither his parents have done that, “By whose consent they have a plan of Proposed Hospital at my place?” asks Hamid. Iqbal Irani a resident of chawl no-9 when approached MHADA for repair work, every tenant got a letter from CEO Narendra. R. Malviya stating that “the quality of work of MHADA will not be satisfactory”. Hamid who files an RTI every week to find out the reason doesn’t even know the Right Person whom to contact. The tenants are been approaching everyone since last 18 months but nothing has been given to them in written.

Residents of these chawls are of Low Income group and are stucked between the beautiful Hospitals premises and Residents of High Income group, due to which they are neglected. Approximately a property of Rs 500 Crore in this premises is been acquired by these chawls and Hamid says that “the authorities are been waiting when these chawls will collapse and we are buried in it with our family then they will built a hospital on it to save live’s”