Residents of CCL Gandhi Nagar Colony on Kanke Road, barely 1.5km from the official residence of chief minister Hemant Soren, on Monday morning protested against the state’s decision to set up a a Covid-19 ward at the CCL Gandhi Nagar Central Hospital.

The hospital is meant for serving and retired employees of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.

The hospital has two blocks, and the super-speciality block was reserved two days back for isolation and treatment of Covid-19 patients.

Since the number of patients and persons needing to be isolated is increasing beyond what the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) can handle, the Ranchi district administration has decided to set up Covid-19 wards at the HEC Hospital, the CCL Gandhi Nagar Hospital and two other hospitals.

The protesting CCL Gandhinagar Colony residents were joined by those from neighbouring localities in the agitation on Monday morning. They refused to withdraw the protest despite police and district administration officials repeatedly trying to convince them that it will not pose any health hazard to them because the hospital has been converted into a restricted area and sufficient cops have been deployed to stop any unauthorised entry and exit.

“Who gave the state government such kind of advice to set up an isolation-cum-treatment centre in this hugely populated area? We wish good sense prevails upon the government otherwise this area will no more remain safe,” said local resident Parvati, one of the homemakers in the protest.

The colony is exclusively for employees and officials of CCL, and is home to more than 3,000 people. Besides, there are two other residential localities --- Dhawan Nagar and Vidyapatinagar --- that are connected with Gandhi Nagar. Some state government officials also live in the area.

CCL chief of medical services Chandrapal Dhan did not respond to phone calls and SMS messages for comment.

CCL sources said so far nobody has been taken to the Gandhi Nagar hospital either for isolation or for treatment of Covid-19.

“At a time when we are facing an emergency-like situation we can’t deny permission to the state and the Ranchi district administration to use this hospital. It also can’t be denied that Gandhi Nagar is hugely populated,” said a CCL official who requested anonymity.

Some local residents, however, claimed that two days back some people were taken here and that the the government was suppressing it.

“This hospital is not situated in an isolated place. There are dozens of residential premises close to the hospital. There are two schools close to the hospital. Is there any logic behind bringing infected persons in a densely populated area?” asked a local resident, who also requested anonymity.

“The situation of the capital is deteriorating day by day and people are worried. But we are more worried because patients and suspected cases will be brought here,” said another resident.

Ranchi deputy commissioner Rai Mahimapat Ray said the fears were irrational.

“Novel coronavirus spreads because of close contact only,” he pointed out. “I don’t know who told them that they will be vulnerable to the virus because of a Covid-19 centre at this hospital. Where should we throw patients and people prescribed isolation? Should we throw them on the road? Local residents had held a similar protest when a

building of the State Institute of Rural Development was converted to an isolation centre. It is the responsibility of the society to support us in the fight against novel coronavirus. In case local residents create further disturbances FIRs will be lodged against them.”

The residents on protest