The architect had said the estimated cost for repair and renovation of our part of the heritage building was Rs. 15 crore, or 150 million rupees. It might have cost more since the cost of raw material like sand went up quite a bit in between. After spending so much money, one would expect the hospital personnel to use the place and things carefully. Alas, one expects too much sometimes, it would seem.
“Sir, look at what they have done to the cover of the drainage hole.”
I looked where our Associate Professor was pointing during our ward round. Someone had hammered the perforated metal cover of the drainage hole along the wall and made an ugly big hole in it. We checked the other such covers in the ward and found all of them broken open in a similar manner.”
“Who has done this and why?” I asked.
"I don’t know” the sister-in-charge of the ward said. “Probably it is done by those who wash the floor to make the floor washing water drain faster.”
“The resistance to flow is not because of the smallness of the holes in the cover” said our Associate Professor. “It is due to choking of the drainage pipe beyond.”
“Destroying hospital property is a criminal offense. Damaging a heritage structure is another offense. The offender can be sent to jail.”
“Here he is!” said the staff nurse. The chief servant of the ward came forward grinning, as if he were a child caught doing something mischievous.
“I don’t want to conduct his enquiry” I said. “Sister, since you are the superior officer of the offender, you are responsible too unless you take appropriate action against this person. I advise you to hold an enquiry and report the matter to the appropriate authority.”
I left, leaving the offender grinning all over his face foolishly, and the sister-in-charge looking somewhat worried.
