During the inauguration of the Lamkichuha Provincial Hospital on Thursday, the hospital premises appeared tense. Nepal Police and Armed Police were mobilized from the entrance, while the municipal police were not allowed to enter the venue. The provincial government had put the hospital premises under security since morning to prevent possible disruptions.

Amidst this security arrangement, Sudurpaschim Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah inaugurated the hospital. The provincial government inaugurated the hospital while Mayor Sushila Shahi was on a visit to Azerbaijan. In her absence, Deputy Mayor Juna Chaudhary attended the inauguration program.

Minister of State for Social Development Saraswati Khadka, Provincial Assembly member Rameshwor Chaudhary and others were present at the inauguration program.

There has been a long-standing dispute between the provincial government and the municipality regarding the inauguration of the hospital. Earlier too, the inauguration program was stopped after Mayor Shahi protested. This time, the provincial government completed the program while he was on a foreign trip.

According to the police, additional security was deployed after receiving information that dozers, tractors and ambulances were being used to disrupt the program on Wednesday night. Police had been on high alert around the hospital since morning.

At a program organized after the inauguration, speakers urged the hospital not to be dragged into political controversy. Lamkichuha-2 Ward Chairman Santosh Kumar Oli expressed his regret over the police cordon that had to be set up for the hospital inauguration.

‘It is not good for such a situation to arise in a sensitive issue like the hospital,’ he said, ‘There should be no unnecessary controversy in development work.’ Paras Devkota, coordinator of the Sangharsh Samiti, had accused the provincial government of trying to stop the operation of the hospital and warned against obstructing matters related to public service.