She had even directed the authorities concerned to set right the lapses. But as they say government officials never change, the authorities concerned here have long forgotten her direction, leaving the patients in lurch.

Apart from lack of basic facilities, the patients are also deprived of clean drinking water. There are as many as 13 tanks each of 1,000 litre capacity. But none of them are covered with a lid threatening the lives of the patients. Sources said the hospital authorities never bothered to replace the lids stolen long back.

The water tanks are never cleaned and one can find shrubs grown around it. “But we change the water everyday to be supplied to the patients,” said the authorities. However, they have no answer when asked why shrubs and weeds grown around the tank are not cleaned.

“This 100-bed hospital has no officer to ensure hygiene. One can find birds’ droppings and insects in the water and the same water is supplied the patients without even treating it,” complain the patients here.

“With lack of enough staff including doctors, where is the time for us to check how the water tank is,” said a patient.