Adani offers to give up hospital in Bhuj

Counsel for the Adani group, Sudhir Nanavati, on Tuesday, submitted before the Gujarat High Court that the group is ready to hand over the management of the government hospital in Bhuj if the central government has a better offer. The management of the government hospital had been handed over by the state government to the Adani group, a move that has been challenged in the high court.

At the previous hearing, counsel for the central government had expressed reservations about the state government's decision to hand over the hospital to Adani, claiming that the Centre had a better proposal which was ignored.

On Tuesday, after the Adani group said that it was ready to hand over the management of the hospital if the central government had a better offer, the division bench of the high court asked the central government about its response. However, the central government's counsel sought time to consult the health ministry on the offer and said that he would inform the court about other proposals.

At this, the court adjourned the hearing of the case to September 2 after asking the union health ministry to submit a reply to the Adani Group's offer.

One Adam Chaki had challenged the state government's decision to hand over the hospital to the Adani group for the group's medical college. Among other things, the petition said that the GK General hospital was rebuilt with advanced facilities after it was destroyed in the earthquake of 2001 with money from the Prime Minister's rehabilitation fund. The government had spent more then Rs100 crore to rebuild the hospital but it had now handed it over to a private group on 99 years' lease, the petitioner said.