General Commanding Officer visits ECHS hospital in Virajpet

General Commanding Officer of ECHS hospitals and army canteens in Karnataka and Kerala region, Major General J V Prasad paid a visit to the ECHS hospital in the town.

On the occasion, Major General (retd) Bachamanda Cariappa complained that even though the government has provided a 50% rebate for ex-servicepersons in house tax, there is no concession in Town Panchayats and Gram Panchayats.

Some departments are not cooperating with ex-service personnel, he added.

Ex-servicemen Association vice president Chappanda Harish Uttaiah said that the current ECHS hospital is operating in a private building.

Even though the land has been sanctioned near Government Hospital, Virajpet, for the new building, the survey department is not transferring the land, he said.

The ex-servicemen said that there are more than 6,000 ex-servicemen in the district. But, there are polyclinics only in Madikeri and Virajpet. These polyclinics are confined to the primary healthcare of the ex-servicemen.

For advanced treatment, one has to visit the army hospitals in Mysuru or Bengaluru. Any one private hospital in the district should be empanelled for treatment, they said.

Major General J V Prasad assured them of doing the needful.

ECHS officer-in-charge Dr Shivappa S Gotyal, official Colonel Geeta and others were present.