Strong reactions over the collection of parking fees from vehicles in LMCH

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Massive reaction prevails across Lakhimpur district in the wake of charging parking fees from the vehicles, owned and brought by the patients, parked within the Lakhimpur Medical College and Hospital (LMCH) premises.

This move of charging and collecting parking fees, termed as "unfriendly and irrational on the part of the LMCH authority", has turned to be an added insult to the injury of the common masses who are already suffering a lot due to sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities and petro-products.

Notably, collecting parking fees from the vehicles parked within the LMCH premises has come into force since Wednesday. The LMCH authority has fixed different amounts of parking fees for different categories of vehicles. As per the notice served by the Principal-cum-Chief Superintendent of the LMCH, the amount of parking fees and respective categories of vehicles are- Rs. 30 for heavy vehicles, Rs. 20 for light vehicles, Rs. 10 for tempos, three-wheelers and e-rickshaws and Rs. 5 for two-wheelers. According to the notice, the above rates will remain valid for initial two hours and thereafter the parking fees will be applicable on hourly pro rata basis.

It is known that the LMCH authority has engaged a Guwahati-based company named Solution Northeast to collect the parking fees. In this connection, the LMCH authority has paid no importance upon any institutions of the native district and has not considered any of them to engage for the purpose.

Over the issue, various individuals and organizations of Lakhimpur have expressed strong reaction. On Thursday, Asomiya Yuva Mancha (AYM) condemned this move taken by the LMCH authority and opposed it by expressing vehement resentment. In this connection, the central committee of the organization submitted a memorandum to Sumit Sattawan, the Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur, on the same day. Through the memorandum, AYM central committee chief secretary Anupam Saikia said, "The charging of parking fees from the vehicles of the patients by LMCH authority is extremely unfortunate and non-humanitarian. It will affect the family of the patients adversely. If the attendants of the inmates have to visit the hospital several times, they have to pay parking fees during every visit. At present, the consecutive rise in the prices of medicines has affected the common masses. Under such circumstances, the paying of parking fees in the LMCH, which was a dream medical institution for the people living in North Assam, will be an extra burden to the patients' families. As per the notice, the amount of parking fees will increase pro rata basis after the two initial hours." The organization demanded the Deputy Commissioner of Lakhimpur to take steps to stop the unfriendly and irrational move taken by the LMCH authority.

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