Kulgam, May 19: For last 10 years, people in South Kashmir’s Qaimoh Kulgam are awaiting the completion of construction work on a new 50-bedded Hospital, officials say paucity of funds and an alleged political indifference has rendered the whole process ineffective.
The locals of the area said nearly 10 years have passed since the Government announced the much-needed up gradation of Primary health center into Sub-District Hospital but a lack of quality infrastructure has put the whole initiative in tatters.
“The whole upgradation was a cruel joke. Qaimoh is a very high populated town. Government sanctioned this hospital in 2007- 2008 but it is still incomplete. While the Kulgam Hospital has reached completion even though sanctioned after 5 years after Qaimoh Hospital. The contractors here have made pillars only in 10 years,” said Gh. Ahmad Dar, a local resident of Qaimoh.
He further said that Government’s failure to complete the construction work within stipulated time has irked the locals, who feel administration was indifferent towards the problem they face in availing the health services. “The gaps in the implementation of the program are visible but none is ready to accept the failure,” the locals said.
Another resident Mohd Ismail told to INS that the health center was upgraded, a new building was sanctioned which was supposed to be built with a total project cost of nearly Rs 23 crores. In 2007-2008, the construction work was started but construction lost pace due to the paucity of funds, he said.
He further said that the primary health center is running here from last 40 years but the lack of the facilities only adds to patients trauma.
Deputy CMO Kulgam told INS that there is a dispute between the land owner and court has stayed the work, now due to lack of funds work has again halted.
CMO Kulgam Fazil Kochak said that the case of the hospital building is in the hands of R&B department.
