In Mayiladuthurai, there existed a free maternity hospital on 2 acres of land owned by Hindu Saivite Mutt Dharmapuram Atheenam.
This hospital was built in 1943 by the 24th pontiff of Dharampuram Aadheenam, Srilasri Shanmukha Desika Paramacharya Swamigal, in memory of his mother who died in childbirth. The then British Governor Arthur Oswald James Hope participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony. After eight years of construction, the then Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, Kumaraswamy Raja inaugurated the hospital in 1951.
The hospital spread over 2 acres of land of Dharmapuram Adheenam in the heart of the city catered to the surrounding rural population. Over the years, the hospital run by the Saivite Hindu Mutt provided free medical treatment to numerous individuals. However, it was later handed over to the municipal administration.
There are claims that the hospital, which was operating smoothly up until five years ago, has deteriorated into a dumping ground for trash due to the municipality’s neglect in maintenance.
In October 2019, the municipal administration established a micro-composting centre to sort the garbage despite heavy opposition from public. At present, the micro-composting centre is also non-functional, and the area has turned filthy due to the accumulation of garbage. It now faces the risk of being turned into a full-fledged dumpyard.
Coming to know of the pathetic plight of the hospital, the 27th pontiff of Dharmapuram Adheenam, Sri Masilamani Desiga Gnanasambanda Swamigal, had written a letter to the municipal administration and the Tamil Nadu government requesting that the land of the free hospital be handed over in Dharmapuram Adheenam.
However, there was no response from the government side. In the midst of this, news began circulating that the municipal administration is going to expand the garbage sorting area nearby and demolish the free hospital and turn it into a garbage dumpyard.
In light of this, the Dharmapuram Adheenam pontiff released a statement on social media in which he declared that he would go on a fast unto death if the hospital was razed down to convert into a dumpyard.
“The free maternity hospital was constructed in memory of his mother by the 24th pontiff of Dharumai Adheenam which launched by the then Governor. It was inaugurated by the then Chief Minister Kumaraswamy Raja during the period of 25th pontiff of Dharumai Adheenam. A German doctor had treated many people for free for many years. When we wrote to the municipality for it to be maintained by the Adheenam itself, it came to be known that it was going to be demolished. If such an event occurs, we will begin a fast unto death to protect the hospital that was set up by our forefathers.”, the Dharumapuram Adheenam said in its statement.
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