MM Hills Community Demands Swift Completion of Proposed 30-Bed Health Centre

A group of residents around M.M. Hills in Hanur taluk, Chamarajanagar district, have urged the state government to expedite the completion of a proposed 30-bed community health centre (CHC). The CHC, which was announced two years ago with plans to upgrade an existing primary health centre, is still yet to be completed.

Despite being a significant tourist and religious destination, attracted by lakhs of visitors every year, residents from 22 hamlets are relying on distant healthcare facilities in Tamil Nadu for emergency medical care. Tribals from the area have been forced to rely on makeshift 'dolis' to carry pregnant women, elderly citizens, and other patients over a 75-km trek from M.M Hills to Kollegal or Sathyamangalam.

The existing primary health centre with only one doctor is struggling to meet local demands. The state government had laid the foundation for the CHC in December 2022, but construction has been progressing at a slow pace. A resident of the area, Mahadevaswamy, expressed disappointment with the delay and urged the authorities to expedite completion.

Dr S Chidambar, Chamarajanagar district health officer, recently stated that plans are in place to complete the CHC by next July. The health department has written to the state government for sanction of specialist doctors, nursing staff, paramedical workers, lab technicians, and other support staff.

The delay in completing the MM Hills CHC has raised concerns among local residents, who highlight the lack of access to emergency healthcare services in their area. With ongoing efforts from the health department and residents, there is hope that the project will move forward and bring improvements to the healthcare services in the region.