Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: Opposition MLAs expressed concern over the dismal performance of Health Department and also referred to various shortcomings in PHE Irrigation and FC Departments during the annual grants of these Ministries in the State Assembly today.
Alleging total collapse of Health Department in the State NPP’s Harshdev Singh urged the Government to take desperate measures to bring back the derailed Health system in the State back in rails.
The Health Department is itself sick and on ventilators and needs urgent treatment, he remarked.
Touching upon several issues related to Health Department, Singh observed that the Government needed to address the issue of utter deficiency of faculty in various Hospitals and other health institutions of the State including shortage of specialists, Medical officers and Para Medical staff. He said that even the Medical Colleges of the State were languishing for want of staff, equipments and catering to huge rush of patients with their limited resources. He said that the issue of creation of post of consultants and senior consultants in various specialties of Medical Colleges was laying in cold storage.
Pointing towards the State Drug Policy of the Government, Singh said that the proposed policy which was announced two years back was followed by the most infamous spurious Drugs scam. The Government had announced with much fan fare and publicity that a transparent mechanism had been proposed by it under the policy for selection of essential drugs and their procurement. He said that the fate of investigations under the said scam were also unknown with the Government having shielded the culprits responsible for the heinous offence.
Mr. Harshdev Singh said that the upgradation of Medical Colleges announced under the PM’s Swasthya Suraksha Yojana also ended in a fiasco. He wondered that the Government was announcing to open additional Medical Colleges despite the fact that it was not able to manage even the existing Medical Colleges of the State.
PDP’s Abdul Rehman Veeri also accused the Government of its total failure in providing better health care facilities to the people of the State.
Highlighting the problems in Health Sector he cited the example of GP Panth Hospital Srinagar and pointed out the problems in district level hospitals where MRI and CT Scan machines are not available.
Veeri said in Bone and Joints Hospital Srinagar three patients are placed on a single bed and no steps have been taken to fill up the 6500 vacancies of doctors and Para Medical staff in Health Department. The Health Department claimed to have purchased 274 ambulances but where they went no one knows.
Maintaining that the Department has good officers he said they need a good leadership.
He said the officers in PHE and Irrigation are also well versed with the problems of the people. He demanded renovation of old lift Irrigation schemes.
NPP’s Balwant Singh Mankotia today warned that in case the Udhampur district was ignored in setting up of new Medical Colleges, the people will resort to agitation.
He said the Udhampur and Anantnag were proposed earlier for setting up of new Medical Colleges but in the recent report the name of Udhampur does note exist.
He said the water supply project for Udhampur sanctioned since has not been constructed. The funds were not released for Devika project the report of which was since been finalized, he added.
M Y Tarigami of CPI (M) said PHCs and district hospitals have lack of staff. He wanted the Government to clear its policy on regularization of casual laborers. Earlier when Taj Mohi-ud-Din headed the PHE and Irrigation Departments he said that he has not appointed them. He urged the Government that some one should share responsibility for that.
BJP’s Jugal Kishore Sharma stressed that system of Mechanical Rural Division PHE be improved as motors of pumps are not being repaired for long time. He also demanded setting up of a Medical College for Rajouri -Poonch.
PDP’s Dr Shafi expressed concern over the deteriorating system in health sector and said that the Medical College Principals be empowered. He also highlighted the man power shortage in hospitals which is a cause of concern among the people.
He stressed on restoration of pristine glory of GMC Srinagar which has produced renowned doctors.
Engineer Rashid said that no PHE Filtration plant runs in his Constituency and PHE Division Handwara has become the centre of conspiracies. He also protested and threw the reply of his cut motions on ground saying that no concrete work has been done in his Constituency.
However Minister of Higher Education, Mohammed Akbar Lone stood up form his chair and argued with the Member. He told him “what was wrong in giving reply to your cut motions as you have asked the Minister for the same’’.
Javed Mustafa Mir of NC took a dig at Finance Minister saying all projects have been taken to the Constituency represented by the Minister, while that of his Constituency has been ignored. He asked “has been the Minster’s vote stamped by a golden seal and my with simple seal’’.
The MLA also alleged that the reply to his cut motions by PHE and Health Ministries were wrong.
Ashwani Sharma of JSM expressed concern over delay in desilting of canals and demanded immediate cleaning of irrigation canals. He said many of the irrigation tube wells are defunct. He expressed concern over delay in completion of Tawi lake and demanded attention for Bishnah Rural Water supply and other schemes.
BJP’s Ch Sukhnandan also stressed on desilting of canals. Rashpaul Singh of NC demanded Medical College for Rajouri and Poonch.
NC’s Aijaz Dar expressed concern over female feticides and demanded that the same be controlled.
Nasir Aslam Wani, Dr Mustafa Kamaal, Krishan Chander, Ashok Kumar, Haqim Mohammed Yasin, Durga Dass, Irfan Shah, Peer Mansoor and Rafiq Mir also participated in the debate.
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