Punjab: GSMC left rudderless once again, with Salaria refusing take over

Punjab: The Gian Sagar Medical College and Hospital (GSMC), is back on the cross roads, where it was earlier, with Swaran Salaria, the BJP leader, withdrawing his promised take over of the college and paying up its pending dues thus bringing it back to normal functioning.

Mr. Salaria whose Chintpurni Medical College is also in doldrums due to infrastructural shortcomings had earlier confessed that , following a meeting of the Board of Directors, Gian Sagar Educational and Charitable Trust, he had “taken over” on April 17; with the promise to clear dues of around Rs 100 crore, including pending salaries. Classes in the college have stayed disrupted for the past three months already.

Mr. Salaria on Thursday told the HT, “The college is in a complete mess, and I have put plans related to taking over the management on hold.”

The state government on Monday, issued a show cause notice to the college management, for cancellation of essentiality certificates, to run courses. The Department of Medical Education and Research has given one week’s time to the management. The Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, on Wednesday, directed the state-run Baba Farid University of Health Sciences(BFUHS), to conduct special examinations for the 1500 MBBS and BDS Students of Gian Sagar Medical College, in order to protect their futures. The students are to be shifted to other medical colleges in the eventuality of a closure.

Salaria, when asked about the notice, said, “Why should I reply to the government’s show-cause notice? The Bhangoo family is still looking after the management. It is their prerogative.”

Salaria had earlier assured staff and students that his take over would result in streamlining the functioning of the college.

“I needed clean management, but some controversial members from the earlier management are holding on to their offices,” he added, as an explanation for not having taken over the trust.

Earlier this month, Manish Jakhar, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the trust, had announced to the HT about the take over of Salaria, as main trustee.

On Thursday, the Bhangoo family remained incommunicable, while Jakhar also refrained from all contact and comment on the developments on the Salaria front.

Besides non-payment of staff salaries, the electricity connection of the college has been snapped due to Rs 2-crore bills still remaining unpaid. The annual maintenance contract of the college has also not been renewed due to pending liabilities of Rs 18 crore.