Guwahati, Aug. 16: The Indian Space Research Organisation’s proposal to set up telemedicine facilities in 22 civil hospitals of Assam is gathering dust, with the state not showing any interest.

A source said the latest proposal was sent to the health and family welfare department, Assam, in May, by the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC) but nothing has been heard from the department since then.

This proposal is part of an ISRO-North Eastern Council (NEC) project to set up telemedicine facilities in 72 hospitals in the Northeast. The project was handed over to NESAC by NEC in 2005 as the former is technically equipped to run the project.

“It is surprising that while states like Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram are going ahead with the project, Assam, which has received the biggest chunk (22), is not showing any interest,” the source added.

An amount of Rs 50,000 has already been sanctioned to state hospitals for beginning work on the programme.

ISRO will be providing equipment and satellite facilities in each of these 72 hospitals free of cost and maintaining it for three years.

When installed, the telemedicine centres at the civil hospitals can be connected to the ISRO’s telemedicine centres set up in 200 places throughout the country for advice on medical treatment.

A state government official said the issue of taking responsibility of the centres after three years is the crucial factor, which is stopping the government from taking a quick decision.

The apex space research organisation has already provided telemedicine centres at GMCH and B. Borooah Cancer Institute in Guwahati and Jorhat civil hospitals in Assam.

“We will keep on requesting the government but if after some time there is no action, then there is no option but to abandon the project and the same will be informed to the Centre,” the source added. Telemedicine is a new application area of satellite communications, where even remote hospitals can be connected to speciality hospitals in cities.