Teacher’s relative refused payment via card at hospital

Kolkata/Howrah: The Centre’s decision to keep private hospitals outside the ambit of institutions that can accept demonetized currencies has left patient relatives running from pillar to post to garner funds for treatment. While many hospitals have relaxed the admission deposit amount of Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000, the final bill settlement at the time of release continues to be the biggest worry.

Relatives of

Arun Kumar Das Gupta

, a legendary professor of English who was known as AKDG among students and whose lectures on King Lear have left an indelible mark on everyone who sat through his classes in Calcutta and Jadavpur universities, went through hell as the hospital insisted they deposit the hospital charges in either cash or bank draft.

Dasgupta

’s daughter Ruchira who lives and works in Boston, US, attempted to transfer funds to the hospital online but failed as the hospital did not provide such a facility. When a relative tried to make the payment through her credit card, the hospital refused payment by a third party who wasn’t an immediate family member.

“Imagine what it is to arrange for Rs 40,000 at a time when the government has set a daily and weekly withdrawal limit and ATMs are dry, leading to serpentine queues at bank branches. The bank staff are under huge pressure to exchange currency, deposit cash and encash cheques. Almost all other banking operations have been suspended. Imagine having to get a draft made that involves depositing the demonetized money and then collecting the draft later,” said Ruchira.

Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced against branch managers of two nationalised banks in Liluah after a woman accused them of refusing to allow her to transfer money for treatment of her son who is in a Patna hospital after a bike accident.