Residents seek relocation of Tasmac outlets near upgraded PHC in Ranipet

Residents of Punnai village near Walajah town seek relocation of Tasmac outlets causing nuisance near healthcare centre.

Residents, mostly women, of Punnai village falling under Nemili panchayat union, near Walajah town in Ranipet, have sought relocation of two Tasmac outlets, functioning opposite the Upgraded Primary Healthcare Centre (UPHC), as patients and their relatives are reluctant to visit the facility in the village.

Collector J. U. Chandrakala, who inspected the dilapidated healthcare centre, government schools and other public facilities in the panchayat union, interacted with the residents of the village when they submitted a petition seeking relocation of two Tasmac outlets located near the health centre, causing nuisance to the public. “School students, especially girls, cannot walk on the stretch. Elderly patients were reluctant to go to the health centre due to the Tasmac outlets,” said S. Vennila, a resident.

Residents said that the outlets, functioning from the same rented premises for over years, were located just opposite to the healthcare centre, built in 1974. The facility is one of the six upgraded healthcare centres in the district. The Government Middle School is also located a few hundreds metres away from the outlets.

Every day, on an average, 150-200 out-patients visited the healthcare centre. Elderly patients were brought to the facility by family members as they were scared to visit the centre on their own, owing to its proximity to the Tasmac shops. Parents of school students picked and dropped them.

During weekends, the outlets were quite crowded. Resolutions have been passed during gram sabhas demanding relocation of the two outlets.

Meanwhile, the residents requested the Collector to provide better facilities at the health centre by appointing adequate doctors and staff nurses. The abandoned nursing quarters inside the facility also posed serious threat to visitors. The residents also complained that many patients were being referred to Government Taluk Hospital in Arakkonam and Walajah towns due to shortage of medicines for snake bites.

“Steps will be taken to relocate the Tasmac outlets soon,” said a district revenue official.