Most of the shops and business establishments in Mayiladuthurai town in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu remained closed on 3rd December in response to a bandh, jointly called by various trade bodies including Mayiladuthurai Chamber of Traders, Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangangalin Peramaippu and public welfare organizations.

The day-long bandh was for demanding the state government to establish the proposed new government medical college in Mayiladuthurai town. The state government had identified a 60-acre site at Orathur village, about 9 km away from the district headquarters for the newly sanctioned government medical college at a cost of Rs 325 crore. The traders and general public of Mayiladuthurai, who have been demanding district status for a long period, expressed their dissatisfaction over the selection of Orathur village. They were demanding the state to set up the new government medical college at Mayiladuthurai. However, official sources said the site had to be identified close to Nagapattinam town, as the college has to be attached to the existing Nagapattinam government hospital.

The existing facilities at Mayiladuthurai government hospital do not suit for attaching it to the district headquarters hospital. Moreover, the government hospital at Nagapattinam has a capacity to accommodate more than 500 in-patients. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had approved Tamil Nadu government’s proposal to set up three more new Medical colleges in Nagapattinam, Krishnagiri and Tiruvallur under the centrally sponsored scheme. Of the total approved cost of Rs 325 crore for each medical college, the Centre will share 60 percent, while the remaining 40 percent will be borne by the state government.