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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
Ahmedabad: Construction of 1,800-bed hospital hits wall of ‘faith'
On May 27 this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day trip to Gujarat, laid the foundation stone of an 1,800-bed hospital inside the Medicity campus in Ahmedabad, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 588 crore. Almost two months later, the project has hit a hurdle even before even the plans could be finalised. Standing in the way of the expansion and modernisation of the largest public sector healthcare campus on India's western seaboard, is a temple, whose priest has claimed that the 'goddess has refused to give up the space'. The priest at the temple of Khodiyar Mata, a local deity, claims that it has been there since pre-Independence and has become an 'intersection of science and faith and a major landmark for those lost in the sprawling campus'. A constant stream of devotees, including relatives of patients admitted to Ahmedabad Civil Hospital and those from the neighbourhood, flock to the temple that has recently repainted saffron from the outside, with its sanctum containing multiple idols of Khodiyar Mata, dotted with blue tiles which have not been changed for several years now — also 'as per the wishes of the mother,' priest Sandeep Thakurbhai Dave tells The Indian Express. The temple, located at the centre of the Medicity campus has also become a geolocation as people are given directions with the temple as a point of reference. The civil hospital in the Asarwa area of Ahmedabad recently saw a huge influx of visitors from all over the world, when it turned into a nodal centre for families of victims after a London-bound AI 171 crashed minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad, into the BJ Medical College hostel next to the temple. The hospital took charge of the DNA investigations of the severely charred bodies of the 241 aboard and 19 on-ground who died, handing them out to their relatives. The deceased included some of the hospital's own students and staffers. Now, the old post-mortem building, which connects through a skyway to the main hospital building, the area between the old trauma centre till the Superintendent's office (admin block) is to be demolished to free some 1.60 lakh square metres of space for the 1,800-bed hospital with an OPD section and a 150-bed ICU to eliminate waiting for beds. There will be a 50-bed isolation ward and several modular operation theatres and a two-storied parking block, which will accommodate 650 cars and 1,000 two-wheelers. The civil hospital is spread over a 108 acre space that includes several super speciality facilities. The Khodiyar Mata temple, located right opposite to the old post-mortem building, is also among those marked for demolition. The plan was to relocate the temple in an alternate space inside the hospital campus, if the authorities agreed. The construction of this new hospital building will not only take the total bed capacity of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital to 4,200 beds, but will also double its ICU capacity from the current 150 to 300 beds. Most importantly, the OPD blocks will be moved to the prospective 10-storey building. On July 13, a video of Dr Rakesh Joshi, Medical Superintendent of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, went viral where he was seen praying and performing rituals at this temple. Dr Joshi had later clarified in a video that he had gone to discuss with temple officials possible ways to proceed with the development 'in a way that faith is not compromised'. 'I went and explained the project to them. I suggested that we must co-operate to make sure that this hospital is built so that several poor patients receive the benefit of treatment', he said in the video. Dr Joshi later told The Indian Express, 'I tried to reach out to the temple to find a consensual path forward. However, they have refused to relocate the temple. A decision will now be taken by higher officials.' Notably, the buildings marked for demolition are already being evacuated and stopgap measures are being taken in other parts of the hospital campus. Most importantly, the labs and central stores have already been relocated and the rest of the buildings will be cleared soon, said Dr Joshi. Temple priest Dave told this paper: 'Hospital officials told us that if they don't move the temple, then they will lose space for 300 beds, but this temple was here even before the hospital was built.' Claiming that the deity had 'not allowed' a previous construction project decades earlier because the temple had been removed in the 1950's, Dave said, 'Mataji had destroyed the incomplete construction seven times. The mother then told my ancestor, who was then the pujari here, that he would find her idol buried where her small temple once stood. And true enough, the top half of this idol was found there,' he says, pointing to a smaller idol next to the main one of the deity that is kept on a wooden stool. 'It was only after the temple was restored that this hospital was built,' he adds. When asked about the current predicament, the priest said, 'The hospital administration approached us about the construction of the new hospital a couple of months ago and we have had several conversations about it. But when we asked Mataji if she permitted the relocation of the temple, she refused not once but multiple times.' Dave claimed that the hospital superintendent's visit on Sunday was part of his 'seeking clearance' from the Goddess for the project. 'He (Dr Joshi) came at 9 am and we first asked him to pray for what he wished to seek from Mataji and told him that we would look for her answer. If she agrees even twice, that means she has given permission,' the priest claimed, adding that they performed a temple ritual to seek the Goddess's 'consent' — but it was 'negative'. Dave said they had not received any communication from the hospital administration after Sunday's ritual.
GMA Network
14-07-2025
- General
- GMA Network
No winners of major lotto jackpot draws on Monday, July 14, 2025
There were no winners of the Grand Lotto 6/55 and Megalotto 6/45 jackpot prizes drawn by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on July 14, 2025. The prize for Grand Lotto 6/55 is P29,700,000 The winning numbers are 01-02-31-13-14-44. No one guessed the winning combination for Megalotto 6/45 which was 34-28-08-35-32-11. A bettor would have won the jackpot of P17,588,988.40. For more lotto results, check here. — RF, GMA Integrated News
The Star
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
Tribunal rejects Singaporean's tax refund claim due to jurisdiction issue
Lim says the claimant had written a negative review of the company which was later picked up by a digital media portal. A SINGAPOREAN had his claim against an electrical appliances outlet dismissed by the Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal. Claimant SB Koo had demanded the respondent refund customs tax paid by him, claiming the respondent had cheated him. Respondent Izonic Electrical Sdn Bhd director Lim Chee Khoon said the company was willing to meet with Koo. 'We are willing to meet him to resolve the matter, but he refused,' Lim said outside the Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal at Menara Ansar, Johor Baru. Lim said the claimant wrote a negative review of the company and this was picked up by a digital media portal on the island republic. The respondent said the portal ran the story with the heading 'Singaporean man allegedly asked to pay S$268 for 'customs tax' after buying RM1,400 water filter in JB'. Lim said the portal published the story on Feb 2 after the claimant made the purchase of the electrical items on Jan 17. Lim, 37, said Koo, 61, went to the mall in Taman Abad, Johor Baru, with his wife. The couple decided to buy home electrical appliances on display at the outlet. The items were a water filter, Thermos pot, induction cooker, stainless-steel wok and a set of four ceramic bowls, totalling RM4,588. 'They were given a RM50 voucher which brought the bill down to RM4,538,' Lim said, adding that the claimant paid using a debit card. Lim then sent the couple home to their Housing Development Board flat by car on Jan 17. Lim claimed that he paid S$268 (RM888) in taxes on Koo's behalf at the Causeway and was later reimbursed. Lim also made an appointment to instal the water filter on Jan 18, which the claimant agreed to. 'The claimant called our Singaporean representative on Jan 18 to inform him that he was busy and not at home,' said the respondent. Lim said the representative called Koo many times to fix another appointment date but his calls went unanswered. During the hearing, Tribunal president Hafez Zalkapli reminded both parties any decision made by the Tribunal could not be challenged. Hafez dismissed Koo's claim, explaining that it was not the jurisdiction of the Tribunal to hear cases related to tax disputes as the case should be filed with the small claims court. A small claims court is a specialised court handling civil disputes involving relatively small amounts of money, offering a faster and more affordable alternative to traditional litigation. Those needing Tribunal assistance can call 07-227 1755 or 07-227 1766, or visit the Johor Consumer Claims Tribunal at Level 17, Menara Ansar, Jalan Trus, Johor Baru.
The Sun
20-06-2025
- The Sun
Terengganu seeks RMAF assistance for injured UPSI student
SETIU: The Terengganu state government is negotiating with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to secure a mercy flight service to bring home an Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student who was injured in a bus accident on the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Gerik, Perak on June 9. State Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity Committee chairman Maliaman Kassim said the student, Nur Erika Alisya Mohd Zaidi, 21, who is currently still being treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, can only be transported back to Terengganu by air. 'Following my recent visit, the hospital informed us that if we want to bring the student home, she cannot travel by land vehicle due to her injuries. Therefore, we are currently negotiating with the RMAF to make efforts to bring Nur Erika Alisya home via a mercy flight,' he told Bernama here today. He said this when met after visiting another UPSI student injured in the accident, Aimi Nusaha Che Azmi, 21, in Kampung Gong Batu, Bandar Permaisuri, here. Maliaman said that in addition to Nur Erika Alisya, another UPSI student is still receiving treatment at the same hospital, one is being treated at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, while the rest have returned to their respective hometowns. In the meantime, he said the state government has provided aid to 48 victims and heirs involved in the tragedy, namely RM3,000 to the families of those who died, and RM1,000 to those injured, including the bus driver, co-driver, and four individuals in the Perodua Alza car. He added that the state government will continue to assist the victims, including medical costs, with the highest medical cost funded by the state government being RM18,588 for Nur Erika Alisya's treatment. In the early morning incident on June 9, 15 UPSI students died when a bus specially rented from Jertih to return to the university's main campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, overturned after being involved in an accident with a Perodua Alza on the JRTB. The accident also resulted in 33 others being injured, including the bus driver and co-driver, as well as the driver and three passengers of the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
The Sun
20-06-2025
- The Sun
Terengganu govt seeking RMAF's assistance to airlift UPSI student injured in Gerik bus accident
SETIU: The Terengganu state government is negotiating with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to secure a mercy flight service to bring home an Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student who was injured in a bus accident on the East-West Highway (JRTB) near Gerik, Perak on June 9. State Welfare, Women's Development, Family and National Unity Committee chairman Maliaman Kassim said the student, Nur Erika Alisya Mohd Zaidi, 21, who is currently still being treated at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh, can only be transported back to Terengganu by air. 'Following my recent visit, the hospital informed us that if we want to bring the student home, she cannot travel by land vehicle due to her injuries. Therefore, we are currently negotiating with the RMAF to make efforts to bring Nur Erika Alisya home via a mercy flight,' he told Bernama here today. He said this when met after visiting another UPSI student injured in the accident, Aimi Nusaha Che Azmi, 21, in Kampung Gong Batu, Bandar Permaisuri, here. Maliaman said that in addition to Nur Erika Alisya, another UPSI student is still receiving treatment at the same hospital, one is being treated at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM) Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, while the rest have returned to their respective hometowns. In the meantime, he said the state government has provided aid to 48 victims and heirs involved in the tragedy, namely RM3,000 to the families of those who died, and RM1,000 to those injured, including the bus driver, co-driver, and four individuals in the Perodua Alza car. He added that the state government will continue to assist the victims, including medical costs, with the highest medical cost funded by the state government being RM18,588 for Nur Erika Alisya's treatment. In the early morning incident on June 9, 15 UPSI students died when a bus specially rented from Jertih to return to the university's main campus in Tanjung Malim, Perak, overturned after being involved in an accident with a Perodua Alza on the JRTB. The accident also resulted in 33 others being injured, including the bus driver and co-driver, as well as the driver and three passengers of the multi-purpose vehicle (MPV).
