Excelsior Correspondent
BHADERWAH, Feb 28: Bhaderwah town observed one day bandh on the call of Bhaderwah Hospital Bachao Front to lodge their protest against shifting of SDH from the centre of the town with the demand that new hospital be developed on Soura pattern as had been promised by the then Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The massive protest march that was led by Front convener Ranbir Manhas began from the old Hospital complex, which after passing through main markets of the town culminated in historic Seri Bazar, where people expressed the problems being faced by them on health front. The public meeting was jointly chaired by veteran educationists Krishan Lal Kotwal and Haji Abdul Qayum.
The public meeting that was addressed by presidents of Panchayat committees of BHBF unanimously declared their solidarity with the Front for raising a genuine public demand. “We are not against the new hospital, but we are against shifting of the SDH from its existing central location”, they lamented adding that people in far flung areas have been suffering because neither they have any facility in their villages nor have they the required capacity to take their patients to new hospital that is far away from the old hospital.
“We want that keeping in view the distance and lack of facilities in the new Hospital, the services in the old Hospital should be immediately restored by providing at least one Physician, one Gynecologist, one children specialist besides providing at least ten beds for twenty four hour emergency”, they said adding that in old Hospital they could carry their patients on their backs whereas in the new Hospital they need expensive transport facility, which is not readily available even in the day time not to think of nights.
In his concluding address Ranbir Manhas informed that today’s rally was aimed at making their voice heard in the floor of the Assembly that has begun its session today. Claiming that all and one in Bhaderwah whether from the town are the villages, are in favour of restoration of SDH in its old complex, the Front convener appealed to the Union Health Minister to visit Bhadewah and see for himself as to how badly his own have been suffering after the SDH was shifted from its old complex.
Among others who addressed the huge gathering included Satish Chander Kotwal of Attal Garh, Akbar Butt of Sharekhi, Omkar of Mathola, Raj Singh Charak of Rainda, Irshad Laway of Bhadrot, Jaswant Manhas of Basti and Master Krishan Lal Kotwal of Malahni.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
