Locals demand dedicated power supply connection for SDH Uri

Uri, Oct 20: Patients and attendants at the Sub District Hospital (SDH) Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district are facing difficulties due to inadequate electricity supply at the facility.

Locals and hospital authorities have called for a dedicated feeder connection to address power issues and ensure that residents do not encounter further problems.

The Block Medical Officer (BMO) Uri had previously written to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla in July last year, providing a tentative estimate and requesting a dedicated feeder connection for the remote hospital. The estimate amounted to around `47 lakh.

A delegation of local residents expressed their concerns, emphasizing the urgent need for a dedicated electricity feeder connection. “Patients suffer whenever electricity is unavailable, as many essential machines rely on it,” they stated.

They also highlighted that oxygen concentrators depend on electricity.

“The hospital frequently accommodates elderly patients who need these concentrators daily, and the lack of a reliable power supply directly impacts their care,” they said. “Additionally, many surgeries are conducted late at night, and interruptions in the power supply affect them.”

Mohsin Bhat, a resident of the main town Uri, stressed the need for round-the-clock electricity. “This is a vital institution, yet we struggle with frequent power outages. The hospital often deals with critical cases because of the challenging terrain and its proximity to the Line of Control. The situation is so dire that surgeries are sometimes interrupted by power cuts,” he said.

“If a dedicated feeder is approved, it will greatly improve the lives of local residents,” he added.

Currently, the hospital relies on three sources of electricity: direct supply, a solar plant, and a diesel generator. “Direct supply operates according to a schedule, the solar plant has limited backup and is in poor condition, and the diesel generator consumes a significant amount of fuel, resulting in high costs,” explained a health official at SDH Uri.

Dr Balwinder Singh, BMO Uri, said that he has already raised this issue with higher authorities. “They have assured me they will address it,” he said.

Dr Mastoora Akhter, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Baramulla, stated that they have already prepared the DPR. “We will include this in our upcoming plan,” she said.