People seek establishment of mobile health centre in Bangus Valley

Kupwara, Aug 15: The residents and people visiting the picturesque Bangus Valley in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have appealed to the health authorities to set up a mobile health centre here so that they do not face hardships with regard to non-availability of health facilities.

Bangus Valley is a vast pasture towards which nomadic communities along with their cattle move in April and reside there till October ending.

Even shepherds from Rajouri, Poonch, and Kishtwar also put-up there with their livestock till the onset of winter.

The residents said that due to non-availability of a health centre at Bangus, they suffer a lot.

They said that for a small ailment, they have to travel several kilometres to reach the nearest health centre.

At present, more than 3000 people are living in temporary shelters at different locations of Bangus including LokutBangus, Bud Bangus, Balyan, Nard Behak, Gatiwali, Nildori, and DobanBehak.

However, the lack of better health facilities has always been a concern for the residents.

The residents also demanded that a veterinary centre should be established at Bangus so that their livestock could be treated well in time in case of any disease.

“Our livestock gets affected with severe diseases and non-availability of veterinary officials and medicines further complicates the matters. Every year due to non-availability of veterinary medicines people lose dozens of cattle,” said Muhammad Shafi of RajwarHandwara.

Meanwhile, tourists also sought a mobile health centre at Bangus Valley.