The high court on Tuesday asked the state government how it could build a booster pumping station on a plot of land in South 24-Parganas’ Mathurapur that its owner had donated to the state for a hospital.

A primary health centre with 10 beds runs on the plot but the petitioners had demanded a larger hospital.

“At a time when many people of South 24-Parganas, especially the inhabitants of the Sunderbans, are suffering for want of treatment, how can the state make a booster pumping station project on the plot donated for a hospital?” asked Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam.

“The state is not willing enough to provide adequate health facilities to poor villagers. A lot of people have been suffering in the Sunderbans. The court has to issue an order even for a patient to get a wheelchair in a hospital.... The state can decorate entire Park Street with lights during festivals but cannot provide health facility to common people.”

The division bench of the chief justice and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya asked the state to increase the number of beds in the health centre to 35 and also submit a report on the progress of the reservoir construction.

The bench was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by some Mathurapur residents.

Moving the PIL in December, the petitioners had said Hazi Jamat Ali Molla had donated the 10-bigha plot in 1962 for the construction of a hospital.

“A six-bed primary health centre was built on the plot the same year. After several requests, the number of beds was increased to 10 in 1976. There should be a 100-bed full-fledged hospital in the area,” the petitioner’s lawyer said.

On January 2, when the matter first came up for hearing, the division bench issued an order directing the state to increase at least 90 beds in the health centre.

The state’s health secretary submitted a report to the bench on Tuesday saying the number of beds had been increased from six to 10.

“Considering the scarcity of drinking water in the area, the state had undertaken the programme for construction of a reservoir-cum-booster pumping station on the land,” the state’s lawyer said.

After perusing the health secretary’s report, the chief justice said: “If there is a will, there is a way.”

The division bench then ordered the state government to submit a report on the progress of the reservoir construction and directed it to increase the number of beds at the health centre to 35.

It scheduled the next hearing on February 24.