The Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Jammu visit recently dedicated AIIMS Jammu to the Nation infront of a huge crowd.
Dr Sanjeev Puri gives a chronological order of the events that unfolded from the day when the PM
declared AIIMS for Jammu to the day when it was
formally inaugurated by him.
2004: 25 Jan: Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj performs Bhoomi Pujan for upgradation of GMC Jammu to AIIMS at Chest Diseases Hospital in presence of Chaman Lal Gupta, MOS for Defence Mangat Ram Sharma, DyCM Ch Lal Singh Health Minister and Dr Sunita Puri Assistant Medical Superintendant. This project under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna was to correct healthcare regional imbalances in J&K. It could not take off.
2015: 28 Feb: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announces AIIMS, IIT & IIM for J&K in budget speech. MOS (PMO) Jitendra Singh thanks FM for AIIMS to Jammu on 10 Apr: CM Mufti Sayeed declares AIIMS for Kashmir as per PDP-BJP Agenda. 24 Apr to 5 Aug: Jammu agitates under AIIMS Coordination Committee (ACC) with bandhs, protests, arrests and hunger strikes. 15 Aug: Health Minister JP Nadda announces AIIMS for Jammu and Srinagar. Sep: Samba and Pulwama DCs submit Vijaypur and Avantipora land proposals through respective Div Coms. 7 Nov: PM Narendra Modi declares 2 AIIMS for J&K under PMDP.
2016: 2 Aug: Govt nominates AIIMS Nodal Officers for Jammu and Avantipora to monitor progress of issues raised by centre for appraisal of Health & Medical Education Dept (H&ME). Aug: I got nominated as Nodal Officer in my posting at Health Directorate as Programme Officer, National Programme for Control of Blindness. Secretary H&ME, Mandeep Bhandari briefed me about the site duly approved by expert team from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) Govt of India (GoI). Due to Section 370, GoI could not own land in J&K, it could be leased by H&ME. Planning section official in Directorate opined as to how a doctor could be given such big responsibility, usually being given to officer not below Additional Secretary. As a nodal officer for the project I learned that designated land was on both sides of NH44 on north and south of Devak River comprising of Forest, State, Private and Custodian land spread in 3 villages: Shri Partap Singh Pura, Rakh Barotian and Chak Diwan Bhimsen. ADC Pawan Sharma explained process of acquisition and that not only private land owners, even Forest and Custodian departments would be paid compensation. He gave me file containing relevant documents for my use. 26 Aug: Director Health submitted indent for land through DC Samba to SDM/Tehsildar Vijaypur for processing acquisition. Sep/Oct: After series of meetings with DC and Div Com, I could gather that State would provide approach road and underpass connecting both portions via PWD, 15 lakh litres water per day via PHE and 15 MVA electricity supply via PDD along with flood protection wall via Flood Control Dept. Moreover this land had submerged under water in 2014 floods. I was unsure about the project as land was flood prone while its southern portion was occupied. Meanwhile, Forest officials were demarking forest on both sides of river. I visited the south side to observe trees being marked for compensation.
2017: New Samba Forest Division had been created out of Kathua. AIIMS required less of forest than previously approved. Now fresh proposal for 69.95Ha Samba forest and Jammu Social Forestry was submitted to FAC. 2Feb: Notification for acquisition of 176kanals 2marla of private land issued. 28Apr: Cabinet approved land for the rehabilitation of the nomads; state land transferred to H&ME as Pawan Kotwal joined as Commissioner. 31 Mar: Centre is informed that Nodal Officer would ensure coordinated working with Central PWD and respective district/state department ie District Administration, PHE, PWD, Flood Control, PDD and planning section of H&ME. 7th Sep: PWD Minister Naeem Akhtar and Industries Minister CP Ganga lay foundation stone for approach road to southern portion.
9 Apr: Chief Secretary, BB Vyas comfortably conducts FAC approving use of 69.95Ha Forest land for AIIMS. 23 Apr: Rajinder Singh Tara, new DC persuaded CPWD for construction in the encumbrance free north side forest under police protection. 20 Jun: With Governor’s rule in J&K political interference stopped with authorities working hard. 27 Jun: Bhoomi Pujan by DC on the north side, in presence of the Nodal Officer, Chief Engineer CPWD and other district officers paved way for construction of boundary wall and main gate. This put pressure on occupants. Evacuee Property land compensation released. 30 Jul: Sushma Chauhan now DC Samba continued negotiations with the occupants for shifting them to adjoining location in village Chak Diwan Bhimsen with a road network, pond, school, milk chilling plant etc. Boundary wall work initiated in southern land. 16 Aug: Government order for use of Forest is issued with H&ME to deposit compensation including cost of land and trees with aforestation in twice the acquired area. 10 Sep: SDM Vijaypur Sanjeev Kumar broke the news about completion of rehabilitation in the afternoon meeting after which we visited the site, boundary wall work was in final stages, all the structures except Mosque were already demolished with mulba depicting their past existence. Only one house remained with people mourning for death in family, after which they would be shifted. Further I found boundary wall encircling the mosque; I could understand that it was outside now. Like a dream come true, AIIMS was now becoming a reality. The arduous task of clearing site and rehabilitating nomad families had been completed peacefully without any violence and loss of life. 14 Sep: Finally, I received invite from DC for next morning ceremonial handover/ takeover.
15 Sep: As directed by the Govt. Director Health Bhupinder Kumar deputed me for takeover. I proceeded to Vijaypur where DC was present along with Additional DC and other officers with press and media personnel. We had a formal tour of vast uneven land free from any structure except the boundary wall. She signed the file containing the handover document and offered the file for my signature. I signed the document on behalf of HME, history was created on this happiest day of my career. News appeared in the press and media that DC Samba, Sushma Chauhan formally handed over land to Nodal Officer AIIMS, Dr Sanjeev Puri in presence of ADC Arun Manhas, SDM Vijaypur, Vijay Kumar along with Chief Medical Officer Samba, Dr Rajinder Samyal and Executive Engineer CPWD. 18 Sep: I had to call ADC to convince Executive Engineer CPWD who still doubted the status of land. He finally agreed for land takeover. I submitted revenue papers to Commissioner H&ME with land details: 746Kanal 17Marla North (Villages Rakh Barotian & Shri Pratap Singh Pura) and 1207Kanal 06Marla South (Villages Rakh Barotian & Chk Diwan Bhim Sen) with total of 1954Kanal 03Marla stood transferred to H&ME, whole land handed over to CPWD. 13 Nov: Boundary wall work on North side completed.
2019: 3 Feb: As Officer on Special Duty, I accompanied Secretary H&FW Preeti Sudan for foundation stone laid by PM. 31May: Boundary wall was fully complete.
2023: 10 Oct: Revenue Department orders transfer of land from H&ME to MoHFW for the construction. This was possible after abolition of article 370.
(The author , a prominent Eye Specialist, remained Nodal Officer AIIMS Vijaypur Jammu, presently Joint Director, J&K State Organ and Tissue Transplant Organization (SOTTO))
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