Jahangeer Ganaie
Pulwama, Dec 27: Even after an elapse of over three years since the government identified a land in Pulwama for construction of a 100-bed maternity hospital, no progress has been made on the project till date.
Top health officials said that before three years 112 kanals of land was identified at Sirnoo Pulwama for the construction of the maternity hospital to address the growing health issues of women in south Kashmir particularly in Pulwama and Shopian district.
However, officials said that no progress has been witnessed on ground apart from erecting a notice board at the proposed site.
“It was a long demand of the people of Pulwama and Shopian to have a maternity hospital in Pulwama to mitigate the referrals to Srinagar hospitals or MCH Anantnag but it seems that project has been abandoned,” they said.
“If the project comes up here, it would definitely decrease the rush in LD hospital and people of Pulwama and Shopian would get facilities at doorstep,” they said.
Locals from Pulwama town said that they have moved from pillar to post for approval of the maternity hospital in the area but after over three years the project is nowhere in sight.
“After repeated representations to the authorities, the site of around 112 kanals was identified in Sirnoo Pulwama with assurances that very soon work on a 100 bed hospital will start but nothing has been done as of now,” Attauallah, a local resident said.
He added that the earlier government had proposed a site in Chandgam area which is far from town, however, after repeated protests the current location was identified.
Locals said that if this facility comes up, it will save both time and money of the residents as in the absence of maternity hospital in the area, they are forced to take patients to either Srinagar or to private clinics.
“We request higher ups to look into the matter at an earliest and start work on it so that locals can heave a sigh of relief,” they said.
District Development Council Pulwama has also recently passed a resolution for the construction of a maternity hospital in the area.
Dr Mir Mushtaq spokesperson of Directorate of Health Services Kashmir said that proposal has been already forwarded to higher ups, “however, the project hasn’t got administrative approval yet.”
Mir said that the project is under the active consideration of the government and hopefully it will be approved soon.
