Health centre in Bandipora village remains non-functional for 3 years

Bandipora, Dec 9: The Chandaji villagers in north Kashmir's Bandipora district have been waiting for a health centre to become functional for over 3 years.

The locals said their regular pleas to the authorities have fallen on deaf ears and they are suffering in the absence of a proper health facility. The villagers said seeking health care during winter and snow is a herculean task.

"Our village is hilly and remote. The snow accumulation is comparatively higher than in plain areas," said Mushtaq Ahmad, an elderly villager.

He added they requested the authorities to make the health centre functional to ease "some of our daily problems."

The villagers said the only health centre in the village, running in a rented one-room accommodation over a kilometre away, is not serving its purpose and has no doctors available.

The residents said the construction of the new health centre was initiated in 2016 by the R&B department and completed three years ago, but since then the structure has been left abandoned. They said the structure is now getting damaged with time.

Arif Ahmad Lone, a villager, said they were happy when the then chief medical officer of Bandipora approached them seeking land for the health facility.

"One of our villagers happily offered his land in lieu of the promised compensation and job of a peon and part-time sweeper. He has been waiting for years now, despite giving his land," a villager lamented.

Tasleem Ahmad Khan had offered 11 marlas of land. "I have been given no compensation yet," he said, adding the government and the department must think about him as he is a jobless youth.

"The least they can offer me is compensation for the land I have given to the department," he said.

Yasir Ahmad, a local village activist, told Greater Kashmir their repeated pleas have gone unanswered. "The existing health centre is far away and no doctor is ever available there," he said. "We are facing immense problems in terms of health care. The villagers desperately need a proper health facility with doctors and basic health care equipment," Ahmad said.