2-year sewage problem at PGI canteen worsens with rainfall
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Chandigarh: For the past two years, the non-faculty staff canteen at the lower cafeteria of PGI has been frequently facing sewage overflow, a situation made worse by recent heavy rainfall.
Both the kitchen and dining areas are severely affected. Despite repeated assurances of renovation during this period, no action has been taken.
"The assurances for renovation during the last two years proved to be false and misleading," said Ashwani Munjal, chairman of the Joint Action Committee, PGI.
The poor civil and sanitation services have created unhygienic conditions, posing serious risks of infection to both staff and the hospital environment.
Around 2,000 hospital staff regularly visit the canteen for tea, food, and snacks. "We were informed earlier that the canteen contractors working on the top floor at the Association of Resident Doctors' mess dispose of kitchen waste into a drain, which chokes the drainage system. We complained to the hospital administration in 2023 and 2024, but the situation remains unchanged," said Ashwani Munjal, chairman of the Joint Action Committee, PGI.
Lt Col Gurvinder Singh Bhatti (retd), superintending hospital engineer at PGI, explained, "There are a few reasons why storm water entered the cafeteria. Firstly, we experienced unprecedented rains recently, which overwhelmed the main storm lines of both PGI and UT. Once UT's storm lines were cleared, PGI's internal storm water dispersed. However, during that time, water flowed into the cafeteria because it's a low-lying area.
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He added, "We have a persistent issue with the kitchen waste line behind the cafeteria being blocked. This is due to kitchen waste from the first-floor cafeteria entering that line."
Officials confirmed that the cafeteria is currently undergoing renovation. A Delhi-based architect is working on the planning, and the renovation is expected to begin in five to seven months.
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