‘Did not stop distribution of food packets; acted on complaints of land encroachment in Alappuzha,’ says minister

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Health Minister K Muraleedharan has once again responded to the controversy over the distribution of free meals in hospitals. He clarified that the government did not stop the distribution of food, but had intervened following complaints about land encroachment at the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital. The minister said complaints had been received regarding unauthorized occupation of hospital premises in Alappuzha. He added that the community kitchen was a decision taken by the hospital development committee.

‘The community kitchen will only be in Alappuzha. There are no plans to introduce it in other hospitals. There is no restriction in providing food to patients or bystanders at hospitals. The issue in Alappuzha arose because the functioning of a laboratory was obstructed. Who stopped food distribution at Chooralmala? What I spoke about the other day was specifically the situation in Alappuzha, and it should not be interpreted as general. In Alappuzha, certain organizations had collectively encroached on hospital premises under the guise of distributing food and this cannot be accepted,’ said the minister.

Speaking at Aranmula on Sunday, Minister Muraleedharan had reiterated that whether it is DYFI or Seva Bharati, the distribution of packed meals should take place outside the hospital premises. However, after facing flak, he softened his stand later in the evening by issuing a clarification.

Seva Bharati has been distributing free meals at government hospitals, including in medical colleges, for nearly 19 years, while DYFI has been doing so for around 10 years. The DYFI distributes more than 2,000 packed meals every day at the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital, which is at the center of the controversy. Several other voluntary organizations also provide free food at government hospitals across the state.