Jahangeer Ganaie
Anantnag, Aug 7: Over eight years have passed since the construction of a Health and Wellness Centre was initiated in Dadoo area of Bijbehara in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district-yet the building remains incomplete, pushing residents into distress and uncertainty.
The locals said that the project was started with high hopes nearly eight years ago. However, despite the passage of time, the health centre has not been completed, leaving the community devoid of basic healthcare services.
Initially, the health centre functioned from a rented accommodation in the area, but according to locals, it has now been shifted elsewhere for reasons unknown. This has left the residents of Dadoo with no local health facility.
“In the absence of any health infrastructure here, we are compelled to travel long distances to access medical treatment,” said Mohammad Abbas, a resident. “The government must either dismantle this structure or make it functional at the earliest. No work has been done here in years, and people are suffering.”
“Even for minor ailments, we are forced to travel far. If a working facility existed in Dadoo, this wouldn’t have been necessary,” said another local.
Adding to the concerns, the incomplete and abandoned building has allegedly become a hotspot for anti-social activities. “Every evening, youth from various areas gather in the building for drug use and other illegal activities,” said a resident. “The building has turned into a den of vice, right under the nose of the authorities.”
Locals said that the repeated pleas to higher authorities have yielded no results so far. They expressed their frustration over the negligence and inaction of the concerned departments.
“Visiting hospitals outside the village is not only costly but also time-consuming. We urge the authorities to finish the construction immediately and equip it with necessary facilities,” they said.
The residents appealed to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Anantnag and other concerned officials to take immediate action and ensure that the people of Dadoo no longer have to suffer due to the lack of basic healthcare.
