'Unable to run them, North MCD selling 10 hospitals to Centre'

New Delhi: The North Delhi Municipal Corporation, under fire from the Delhi High Court for months now for being unable to pay salaries of healthcare workers at hospitals and medical colleges run by it, has now decided to hand over these hospitals to the Centre, Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said on Sunday — hitting out at the BJP-ruled civic body ahead of the civic polls next year.

Significantly, after repeated rebukes from multiple courts, and even remarks that it should hand over hospitals to either the Delhi government or the Centre if it is unable to pay salaries, the AAP has made these allegations, adding that BJP administrations were doing this at a time when the AAP-ruled government in Delhi is building more hospitals and ICU beds.

Speaking at a press conference, the MLA from Greater Kailash said that the BJP intends to "sell-off" the North MCD's assets — specifically 10 hospitals and medical

colleges.

"Before leaving the MCD, the Bharatiya Janata Party is preparing to sell all the MCD's assets at throwaway prices. It is a recurring discussion within the MCD that the BJP is about to be removed from the MCD in the upcoming elections. Recently, the North MCD's Standing Committee's agenda has been released. This agenda states the North MCD's plan to sell 10 hospitals and medical colleges falling under its ambit, to the Central Government," Bhardwaj said.

Bhardwaj said that the BJP had allegedly brought the MCD to a "bad condition" — so much so that "they are not even capable of running these hospitals anymore".

"They have emptied the MCD's assets to such an extent. So, now they are proposing that these MCD-run hospitals be sold to the Central Government, which will not only save the running cost but will also bring in some money."

He added, "They have failed in all the revenue collection mechanisms, be it toll tax, parking tax, property tax, or collecting payments for advertisements. They have failed in all these mechanisms. Now, the MCD is selling the land that belongs to Delhiites. The MCD is now preparing to sell Delhiites' hospitals."