Seven years on, two hospital buildings in Tral await completion

Pulwama, May 1: Two hospital buildings in Tral Sub division of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district are awaiting completion for the last seven years as locals continue to suffer.
Locals from Lalpora Khalil Tral and Hari Parigam Awantipora said that PHC building in their area has been awaiting completion for the last seven years. “We are forced to visit sub district hospitals or district hospitals for even minor ailments,” they said.
Abdur Rashid, a local from Lalpora area of Tral said that even after the passing of more than seven years, the construction work on the new building of Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Lalpora-Kahlil village in the Tral sub-district of Pulwama district is awaiting completion.
Another group of They said that the construction work of the building was undertaken by the housing board department, however, they failed to complete its work even after years, due to which patients suffer.
“We have been facing many issues as the centre operates from two rooms only. Construction of new building with the facilities would have mitigated our problems but, unfortunately, it took many years so far, and is yet to be completed, Manzoor Ahmad, a local resident said
The staff members posted in the centre also complained of hardships, in view of space constraints in it, and said that the rooms (available for PHC) they are working in, witness the good flow of patients throughout the day.
They said that staff strength is sufficient here, however, some of the staffers have been taken to other places due to lack of accommodation.
Locals from Hariparigam village said that the hospital building was 99 percent completed years before with a huge amount of money but due to unknown reasons it has been left abandoned.
Despite that the hospital was completed years ago, it hasn’t been made functional as of now due to which it is getting dilapidated with each passing day, they said.
As years have passed now since it was left abandoned due to which its windows, doors besides washroom, power fitting and other things have suffered damage but nobody cares, said Mukhtar Ahmad, a local resident.
He said that even building is now used by drug addicts due to which eve teasing incidents are common in the area besides that students of the nearby school especially girls are feeling insecure.
We have brought this issue to the notice of concerned authorities several times but no attention is being directed towards it, said another local.
Meanwhile, an official said that 99 percent of the work is already complete and issue has been taken with concerned authorities
He said that very soon these health centers will start functioning from the new buildings after which all facilities will be provided there. (KNO)