CHAPTER 8
INDIAN COUNCIL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
8.1 Non-utilisation of land for 21 years
Even after a lapse of 21 years and expenditure of Rs 49.07
lakh, a workable blue print on the type of research facility to be established
on 23 acres of land acquired in 1980 has not crystallised.
Institute for Research in Reproduction (IRR), Mumbai, a unit
of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), acquired 23 acres of land from the
Government of Maharashtra at Sasunavghar, Vasai, Thane District in June 1980 on
payment of Rs 0.50 lakh as occupancy charges to set up a biological farm for
developing a primate colony. The Institute spent Rs 15.57 lakh on construction
of internal roads, main-gate, watchmen shed, bore-wells and other miscellaneous
items till March 2001. The Institute also deployed three to five watchmen for
watch and ward duties and spent Rs 33 lakh on their salary during the period
June 1980 to May 2001.
In May 1988, the Director General, Indian Council of Medical
Research observed that primate facilities existed in other institutions and the
animals of these institutes could be utilised for laboratory research relating
to drugs for research in reproduction, and therefore, there was no need to
develop a primate colony. Accordingly, ICMR decided in July 1988 to utilise the
land for housing all three research institutes of ICMR in one place in Mumbai.
However, this proposal did not mature due to a number of logistic reasons and
want of budget provisions.
Accepting the facts, ICMR stated in August 2001 that a
project proposal to establish a National Centre for Primate Breeding and
Research as a separate research centre to meet the need of primates of research
Centres and Medical colleges at an estimated cost of Rs 52.74 crore to be
completed by middle of X Five Year Plan was being submitted. ICMR also stated
that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was willing to support this
project. However, in the absence of any firm commitment for funding the project,
utilisation of the land in the near future remains doubtful.
IRR clarified in November 2001 that no primate breeding
centre presently exists and that the law prohibits trapping of forest primates.
Primates were also not being imported. IRR confirmed that research work,
especially in medical science, was suffering for want of bred monkeys.
Thus, even after the passage of 21 years and incurring of an
expenditure of Rs 49.07 lakh, a workable blue print on the type of research
facility to be established on the land has yet to emerge.
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