Kurnool: Rs 60 lakh spent to catch 300 rats

KURNOOL: Rat catching is a very expensive activity in Kurnool Government Hospital. The hospital spent Rs 60 lakh from June 2016 to June 2017 to catch 300 rats. Which means each rat was caught at an average cost of Rs 20,000. The contractor hired was also assigned to kill other pests like bandicoots.

With no Pied Piper to help it out, the Kurnool Government General Hospital hired “contract killers” to eliminate hundreds of giant rodents that have dug tunnels in the hospital premises.  “A private company has been given the contract for Rs 5 lakh to kill the rats, which have also caused extensive damage to railway property, government files and passenger goods,” said hospital superintendent Dr J. Veera Swami. He said he has no control over the agency which has been foisted on the hospital by persons close to health minister Kamineni Srinivas.