Earthquake widens wall cracks in new IPD building at DH Pulwama

Pulwama, March 22: Wall cracks in new IPD ( Inpatient department) building at District Hospital Pulwama have widened after Tuesday night’s earthquake the tremors of which were felt at many places including Jammu and Kashmir.
Local residents informed Rising Kashmir that the IPD building of district hospital Pulwama was handed over to Directorate of Health Services Kashmir in 2019 after construction by Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board .They added that cracks started emerging in the back walls of the building soon after it was handed over to the Health Department.
The local residents believe that water seepage which dampens the soil surrounding the basement of the new building might be possible reason for vertical wall cracks.
“We request authorities to put in place a proper drainage system so that water stagnation triggered by seepage is checked,” Musadiq Riyaz , social activist and a local resident of Pulwama said.
“The cracks have widened due to the yesterday’s earthquake, we request authorities to carry out the safety audit of the building so that any eventuality in future is prevented,” Musadiq said, adding that the new IPD building was constructed after health department spent a huge amount on it
Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama, Dr B S Tula, said that there are some cracks in the new IPD building on one side.
“The cracks were already there, we are carrying an assessment of the cracks after which a report will be submitted to Deputy Commissioner Pulwama and the concerned constructing agency,” he said.