GCC seeks redressal of urgent public issues
Srinagar, Jul 15: The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) J&K has urged the government to tone up the administrative apparatus making it more responsible and responsive.
According to a press release, the demand was made in a general body meeting here today. During the meeting presided over by Khurshid Ahmad Ganai (Rtd IAS officer and former advisor to governor J&K), the Group raised a number of issues of public importance requiring priority attention. These included strengthening rural healthcare to reduce avoidable referrals to tertiary hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu, filling up vacancies of doctors/specialists, improving access to cancer care services, protection of fast receding river Jhelum and dying Anchar lake, besides other threatened water resources, road safety and traffic related problems in Srinagar and Jammu cities besides other parts.
GCC said, " The carrying capacity of River Jhelum has only reduced over the years since 2014. The forgotten flood protection projects deserved to be picked again and pursued, with full force, to reach the project goals. Anchar lake is literally dying in absence of any fetters on encroachment. It is long left without any conservation care as if nobody's responsibility and therefore free-for-all. The Government would do well to entrust Anchar to the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority(LCMA)".
The GCC also expressed deep concern over recent turn of events which, it said, " yet again bring forth the imperatives of restoring statehood to J&K without further delay, in the larger national interest, consistent with orders of the Hon'ble Supreme Court and assurances of the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Hon'ble Home Minister in and outside of the Parliament ".
The GCC raised alarm over the worsening ecological degradation and called for enactment of stringent environmental protection laws particularly tailored to J&K’s fragile ecosystem, and described Achhan landfill as" an emerging public health crisis". “Toxic gas emissions from the site are widely feared to have a nexus with rising incidence of cancer, respiratory diseases, infertility, allergic and other ailments,”the statement said. The Group therefore proposed the government institute an expert study of emissions from Achhan and their impact on public health and hygiene, by the Departments of Social and Preventive Medicine in GMC Srinagar and SKIMS.
