Deekshith D V 
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 18: Patients at district Wenlock Hospital had to go without milk for three days after KMF authorities stopped milk supply to the hospital because of a delay in clearing pending dues.

According to reliable sources in the hospital, patients were deprived of milk from Friday December 12 to Sunday December 14.

Speaking to Daijiworld, assistant administrative officer of District Wenlock Hospital said, “The budget sanctioned by the department is insufficient. During the financial year 2012-13, the hospital had a budget of Rs 97 lac and in 2013-14, it was Rs 98 lac. But in the financial year 2014-2015, the hospital has received only Rs 46 lac. The KMF bill is overdue due to technical reasons and an insufficient budget."

As per reliable sources, it is also said that though the hospital authorities communicated about the technical problem to KMF, there was no milk supply for three days. After the hospital paid the milk bills for September and October, KMF restored the milk supply. An amount of Rs 2 lac is still owed to KMF.

When daijiworld spoke to KMF managing director Sathyanarayana B V, he denied the allegation and said that KMF has supplied the milk without any interruption.

Though both KMF and the hospital come under the purview of the government, there is no mutual understanding between the two. Unfortunately, the patients had to bear the brunt and suffer without milk for three days.