Kerala Ministers, MPs wrangle over AIIMS site in the state

Kochi: It seems like every minister, MLA and  MP in Kerala wants the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) that could be soon established in the state,  in his constituency. Lobbying has been intense since the state government was recently asked by the Centre to shortlist three sites for the hospital that requires at least 200 acres.

“We are in a dilemma as there is demand for the AIIMS from almost every district. We have received proposals from Kasaragod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Palakkad, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alappuzha and Thiruvananthapuram,” said an officer  in Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy’s office.

The government is however, likely to leave it to  an expert panel to sift through the proposals and identify the most suitable. Kozhikode MP,  M.K. Raghavan, recently met Union health minister,  Harsh Vardhan and demanded that AIIMS be set up in his constituency considering the backwardness of the Malabar region. Speaking to  Deccan Chronicle, he noted that there was enough  land for the institute with the industrial department at Kinalur.

“If the AIIMS comes to Kozhikode, people of six districts of northern Kerala will stand to benefit besides those living in neighbouring areas of Mangalore, Mysore and Coimbatore,” he argued. Ernakulam MP,  K.V. Thomas, and city MLA , Hibi Eden, are on the other hand keen on the premier hospital being established in Kalamassery, near here.

“Kochi is well connected by road, rail and air and the Metro is a bonus. Government land is also readily available with FACT and HMT in Kalamassery . So I am hoping the government will consider the city,” said Mr Eden. MP, Jose. K. Mani, for his part  is lobbying for locating the hospital in Kottayam and has even begun looking for land for it. Kasaragod, Alappuzha and Thrissur MPs too are working hard to see the hospital comes to them. But they are having to contend with competition from several ministers and MLAs , who too are staking their claim to the institute.