In Kupwara diary: An incomplete bridge, a need for MRI facility and fire service station demand

Decade on Nagri-Malporabridge awaits completion

The residents of Nagri, Malpora and other adjacent areas have expressed strong resentment against authorities for failing to complete the under-construction bridge in their area being constructed over river Pohru, resulting in hardships to the inhabitants.

They said that the bridge sanctioned a decade ago has been left half way due to reasons best known to the concerned authorities.

The residents said that the bridge, once completed, would be a big boost to the horticulture sector of the area and would connect several villages including Nagri, Malpora, Gamandar, Shatwari and Hatmulla, Bramri.

“With the completion of this bridge, it will significantly shorten the distance between several villages and help commuters reach their respective destinations in the shortest possible time,” said a local, Bashir Ahmad Zargar.

The residents said that following repeated pleas to the successive dispensations, the bridge was sanctioned, but after a decade, only pillars had been constructed which speaks about the callous approach of the officials at the helm of affairs.

The residents said that they went from pillar to post for redressal of their genuine grievance but to no avail. Now they have sought immediate intervention of LG ManojSinha in this matter.

Kupwara district without MRI facility

The health sector in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district presents a grim picture as authorities have failed to establish a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) facility unit in this district with the result of which people are suffering badly.

The residents said that due to non-availability of an MRI facility unit in Kupwara, people are forced to visit Srinagar to undergo the test by paying a huge amount.

Greater Kashmir has learnt that in the year 2017-2018 government had released over five crore for procurement of 1.5 Tesla MRI Scanner to be installed at Sub District Hospital (SDH) Kupwara but the procurement is yet to be made.

Former RajyaSabha Member (MP) Mir Fayaz told Greater Kashmir that during his tenure as RajyaSabha Member, he secured 5.63 crore from the Union Health ministry for procurement of an MRI machine which was to be installed at SDH Kupwara.

He said that after the amount was released, he was informed by health officials at Kupwara that the cost of said machine goes beyond the approved amount.

“Earlier according to the report of a five member committee framed by the then Chief Medical Officer Kupwara for procurement of MRI machine, I was told that the cost of machine stands at five crore and once I ensured the amount from central government, I was informed that the amount does not qualify to the cost of machine,” Fayaz added.

He said that the amount is still unutilized and since Kupwara happens to be a border district, the central government should approve the remaining required amount for procurement of MRI machine so that the hardships being faced by the people of Kupwara may end.

An official at Chief Medical Office Kupwara, said that the actual cost of the MRI machine is eleven crore. “If government approves the remaining six crore, the machine would be installed at SDH Kupwara within a month,” he said.

The official said that they have given many representations to the higher ups with regard to installation of an MRI machine at SDH Kupwara but nothing concrete has materialised so far.

The residents have sought immediate intervention of Director Health Services Kashmir DrMushtaq Ahmad Rather in this regard so that the machine could be installed at SDH Kupwara on a war footing basis.

Tarathpora people demand establishment of fire service station

The residents of Tarathpora in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have urged authorities to set up a fire service station in their area.

They said that Tarathpora comprises dozens of villages with over twenty thousand population but has been deprived of this basic and fundamental need.

Residents said that the nearest fire station happens to be at Vilgam and at the time of any fire incident, they have to wait for fire tender to reach the spot.

A local said that they have approached successive dispensations for establishment of a fire service station at Tarthpora numerous times but to no avail.

The residents have appealed Director General Fire Services Jammu and Kashmir to establish a fire service station in their area so that their genuine grievance is redressed.