Manash Dey of Nadia, whose wife is undergoing treatment at CMCH, said that he would stay outside the hospital, as there was a shortage of drinking water in the hospital.

Samiran Sen, who was leaving the hospital after treatment, made similar complaints. He said that throughout his stay in the hospital there was severe shortage of water.

According to Rabindranath Bandopadhyay, principal, National Medical College, the pump in the hospital has become defunct. "We are trying to set up a deep tube well to improve the situation," he said.

"Though important operations and other functions of the hospital were not affected, we have received complaints of water shortage," he added. He said the situation would improve soon.

Amarendra Biswas, deputy superintendent of CMCH, said that there was shortage of water in some departments. But the hospital is trying to meet the demand by bringing in water from outside.