Illegal occupancy at Mayo Hospital

The residential quarters of the Mayo Hospital are being occupied by the unauthorised people for years with the blessing of the hospital administration; thereby causing a loss of millions of rupees to the hospital every month.
Illegal occupancy in the residential quarters of the Hospital is a huge problem, which has never been paid attention to by concerned authorities rather some ‘additions’ were made during the last four years. Moreover, none of the illegal occupants are paying the utility bills for the last many years.
The Khalsa Quarters, where the illegal residents are residing, have been declared ‘dangerous’ by the Communication and Works department, but the Hospital administration have spent huge amounts on their renovation. During the last summer, about Rs 80,000 were spent on the residence of Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr. Abbas Ali Sahota, who is ‘living in a dangerous Khalsa quarter.’
In the Khalsa Quarter II, a lecturer-cum-demonstrator at the Lahore College for Women University Pharmacy Department Humaira Majeed is residing for the last four years without paying any utility bills. Prior to her present assignment, she had worked with the Mayo Hospital as Pharmacist on contract for two years. “Even then she was not entitled to get a residential quarter at the Hospital premises, but the recently suspended Medical Superintendent Dr. Fayyaz Ahmed Ranjha allotted her this quarter, which was never vacated late on,” said an official of the hospital, on the prior condition of anonymity.
A contractor Shaikh Waqas Ahmed is occupying Flat No 6 of the Eye Department at the Hospital for about four years now. “Apart from working for the Hospital, he is also working on other projects outside the institute, but he is keeping his residence here without paying any dues and utility bills. According to the rules, no contractor, whether official or not, is entitled to this facility,” confided the source.
A retired doctor of the general cadre Dr. Abdus Sattar is residing in one of the Khalsa Quarters for the last many years. “He owes his stay in the Hospital to his political connections,” said the Hospital official.
Two persons, whose names could not be confirmed, are residing in the quarters of the Gas Plan area. “They are not the employees of the Hospital, and have been residing here because of their connection with the suspended MS,” he added.
Over 70 persons are illegal occupants of the Hospital Ahata (Residential area) without paying any utility bills and other expenses.
December 9, 2005