Decks cleared for Hamirpur college, recruitment soon

Dinesh Kanwar

Hamirpur, December 1

Decks have been cleared for the proposed medical college in the district as the Health and Family Welfare Department has called doctors from various faculties for interview on December 16.

It was learnt that the department would conduct walk-in interviews for the faculty here for six professors, 17 associate professors, 22 assistant professors, 14 tutors, 18 senior resident doctors and 27 junior resident doctors.

The government has sanctioned over Rs 9 crore for the construction of medical college block close to the Zonal Hospital but still there is no progress in the construction process.

It was learnt from reliable sources that the tendering process was delayed by the department.

The main campus of the proposed college will be established near Jol Sappar village, about 10 km from here, for which over 300 kanals were identified by the district authorities. The case for forest clearance for this land was sent repeatedly to the Environment Ministry but the clearance was still awaited.

The land identified for the construction of the college block is still lying undeveloped. Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, on his recent visit to Sujanpur, said the medical college at Hamirpur would be made operational in the next session.

Anil Chauhan, Director, Medical Education, said the process for the recruitment of faculty had started for two medical colleges at Hamirpur and Chamba. He said this was one of the initial steps in making the colleges operational.

He said classes of the college would start in the present hospital building and a new block would also come up. He said the medical college would be shifted to its own campus later on.

The state had already received over Rs. 170 crore for the construction of college campuses.