KUPWARA DIARY

Khangund Khumriyal residents suffer in absence of drinking water, mobile connectivity

The residents of Khangund Khumriyal area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed resentment against the authorities for failing to provide them mobile connectivity and portable drinking water despite approaching the district administration on a numerous times.

At a distance of 7 km from Kupwara district headquarters, more than 3000 people of Khangund Khumriyal continuously remain digitally cut off from the latest development on various fronts.

The residents said that Khangund Khumryal crave for mobile connectivity since its launch in 2003 across Kashmir.

The residents said that at a time when people were awaiting for 5G services, they had been deprived of the basic right of mobile connectivity.

“With the lack of mobile connectivity and internet facility, the studies of the students have been badly hit. Several youth in our vicinity have been preparing for competitive exams but due to lack of mobile internet facility they are unable to opt for online classes,” said a local Panchayat ward member.

Residents are also anguished about the lack of potable drinking water in the area. They said that due to the lack of tap water they were forced to consume contaminated water from a nearby stream, which exposes them to water-borne diseases.

The residents have sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara Ayushi Sudan in this regard.

Machipora residents demand health centre upgradation, staff augmentation

The residents of Machipora and adjacent villages in Handwara have said that although the Health Sub Centre located at Machipora was upgraded to New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) a few years ago, however, that decision remained “confined to papers only”.

The residents said that in 2018, the authorities upgraded Machipora Sub Centre to the next level but then nothing was done with regard to implementing the decision on the ground.

“After the announcement, we were told that a separate double-storey building would be constructed and staff would also be augmented but nothing has been done so far in this regard,” Ashiq Ahmad, a local youth, said.

He said that the present building of the health centre was in a dilapidated condition and only a few employees were posted here which does not fulfill the purpose.

The residents said that not even a single doctor had been posted here, resulting in severe hardships to the locals.

They said that a doctor used to come here for a few days a week but after the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the doctor had been deputed at PHC Chogal and since then he was yet to return to his original place of posting.

The residents have appealed Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather to take necessary steps with regard to upgrading the health centre.

Nagri residents demand diagnostic facilities, operational health centre

The residents of Nagri and adjacent villages of Kupwara have demanded diagnostic facilities and round-the-clock health facilities available at the New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Nagri.

The residents said that NTPHC Nagri caters to a huge chunk of population spreading over dozens of villages due to which it was the need of the hour to keep the health facilities available round-the-clock.

“Whenever any medical emergency arises in or around our village, the people are forced to take the patients to Sub District Hospital Kupwara or District Hospital Handwara which at times prove detrimental,” a local said. “We are unable to figure out why the authorities are reluctant to operate this health centre round-the-clock when residential quarters for doctors have been already built. Don’t know when our sufferings will end.”

The residents are also anguished over the lack of diagnostic facilities.

They said that for even a small test they had to visit Kupwara or Handwara to carry out the test.

“The hospital still lacks an X-ray plant even after being upgraded decades ago which tells about the insensitive attitude of the authorities towards this health institution,” locals said.

People seek basic amenities at Zachaldara tehsil headquarters

People in Zachaldara tehsil of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have expressed strong resentment against the authorities for failing to ensure basic amenities to them at tehsil headquarters.

Locals of the area said that Zachaldara tehsil was the headquarter for over 100 villages due to which a large number of people every day visit different offices for redressal of their grievances but the lack of basic amenities including toilet facility, drinking water, and passenger shed take a heavy toll on them.

“The women folk face the brunt with regard to lack of toilet facility and passenger shed at Zachaldara. Even Zachaldara lacks a stand for cabs. With the result, drivers park their vehicles on main roads, causing traffic jams,” said Bilal Rashid, a local. The residents said that a few years ago the government had approved a mini-secretariat for Zachaldara tehsil and for that demarcation of land was also carried out but due to unknown reasons, the project did not see the light of the day.

They said that with regard to lack of basic amenities, they had appealed to the concerned authorities numerous times but even after passage of over 5 years nothing had been done so far. Locals said that even the Panchayat members from the area had failed to address the issue.

They have now sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Ayushi Sudan in this regard.