'Criminal negligence on UDF's part in setting up cancer institute'

Cancer Relief Society Cochin, founded by late Justice V R Krishna Iyer, today alleged "criminal negligence" on the part of the UDF government in Kerala in setting up a cancer institute here.

Kochi: Cancer Relief Society Cochin, founded by late Justice V R Krishna Iyer, on Wednesday alleged "criminal negligence" on the part of the UDF government in Kerala in setting up a cancer institute here.

President of the Cancer Relief Society Cochin, M K Sanoo termed as "anti-poor" the government's proposal to set up the institute using private funds.

Criticising the government, Sanoo, an ex-MLA, said Justice Iyer had visualised setting up the institute in the public sector for providing relief to thousands of poor cancer patients in the state.

"Any move to set up the institute using private funds would face strong resistance from the public. There are lapses... Criminal negligence from the part of the government on this issue," he told reporters here.

Sanoo, a retired professor and a leading Malayalam literary figure, said this referring to the proposal in the budget presented by Finance Minister K M Mani last week that the project would be implemented in the annuity mode.

The Cancer Relief Society Cochin alleged that the government is stressing on annuity mode to take loans from private investors for setting up the institute.

Sanoo also sought "public support" for the functioning of the Society here, which provides assistance to poor cancer patients seeking treatment in various hospitals.

Saying that fund raising for this "noble cause" was not difficult when Justice Iyer was alive, Sanoo appealed to the people to support the activities of Society formed in 1989.

After the demise of Iyer, who was founder president of the Society, Sanoo was elected as its new president in which several doctors are members.