The state government will continue evicting illegal settlers from the premises of government hospitals.

Health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra made the announcement on Wednesday, while replying to the debate on the health budget in the Assembly.

“We have been trying to remove encroachments from hospital premises for some time. The drive will continue,” said Mishra.

The announcement assumes significance following the fire in a canteen at SSKM Hospital on July 13, in which two persons were charred to death. Police and the fire department probed the incident and submitted their reports.

“It was quite sad that two innocent persons were killed. Three accused have been arrested, while two are absconding,” Mishra said.

Manas Bhunia (Congress) said the “reign of touts in government hospitals” and the party’s control over bureaucrats have been affecting the state’s healthcare services.

Minister Mishra was all praise for the CPM-backed State Government Employees’ Coordination Committee, which he said was the first to reach relief to the flood-hit people of Sabang, West Midnapore.

Debaprasad Sarkar (SUCI) pointed out that the members of the same Coordination Committee had harassed the director of School of Tropical Medicine, Dhruba Neogi, forcing him to resign.

The minister replied that a senior leader of the committee had expressed regret to Neogi for the behaviour of his colleagues, and this must be seen as a “good gesture”.

Neogi withdrew his resignation on Tuesday for the “sake of School of Tropical Medicine, following repeated requests from health department officials”.