The Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune is facing a big problem with money. They owe ₹27.38 crore in property tax that goes back to 2019. The hospital is managed by the Lata Mangeshkar Medical Foundation and has been trying to get help with these taxes because they say they’re a charitable trust. Unfortunately, they haven’t had much luck with this, and now the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is getting involved.
Recently, the Bombay High Court told the hospital that they need to pay 50% of the tax, which comes to ₹22.06 crore. The PMC has sent official letters to the hospital saying that if they don’t pay on time, they could lose their property. This tax problem started back in 2016-2017 when the hospital disagreed with how much tax they were supposed to pay.
The situation has become even more serious because people are talking about how the hospital is treating patients. There was a case where a pregnant woman named Tanisha Bhise wasn’t given treatment because she couldn’t pay money upfront. This made many people very upset and they protested against the hospital, leading the state government to look into how the hospital is running.
There are also complaints that the hospital isn’t helping people under a government health program called the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana. Some patients say they were turned away with notes saying the hospital doesn’t accept the program. This has made health activists angry, as they believe the hospital should help everyone.
All these issues—the unpaid taxes, the problems with patient care, and not joining the government health program—are making many people watch the hospital closely. The PMC’s warning to pay the tax is important for the hospital’s future. How the hospital responds to these problems will be crucial for its reputation and how it operates going forward.
