Locals aghast as govt begins dismantling hospital buildings in Handwara

Srinagar, Apr 04: Authorities have started dismantling buildings within the Associated Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara premises, citing plans for constructing a new 200-bed hospital building. However, locals are expressing frustration, saying that the current five-storey building, despite being completed, remains non-operational.
The angry locals said the hospital is grappling with a space crunch already, and the administration is mulling demolishing some buildings that will affect NCD, dental, ophthalmology, physiotherapy, paediatricians, and several other wards of the hospital. “If these buildings are demolished, where will patients go?” they asked.
Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara, Aysuhi Sudan, told Rising Kashmir that currently a small store is being dismantled and no major section of the hospital is affected. “These buildings will be dismantled in a phased manner, and we want to make sure that they will not let people suffer. The other buildings will be dismantled once we have sufficient space available, but they won’t be dismantled without proper arrangements,” she said.
When asked why the already constructed hospital building is a non-starter, the DC said there is a high court stay order on the building, which is the reason it is not functional. She assured the people that no building will be dismantled until arrangements are made.
Bashir Ahmad, a local, said the decision-makers must revisit this decision as the hospital already has a new 200-bed building, which has yet to be started by the government despite its completion. “Before taking this step, they must think about the people who can’t afford to visit the private hospitals, and there will be no option for them other than visiting the private clinics,” he said.
Another resident said that currently, two patients of opposite sexes and multiple infected patients are being adjusted to a single bed as there is no space. “This hospital can’t afford to run an operation theatre in the evening due to the lack of space. Those who are making these plans are just trying to add to the suffering of poor people and are trying to make money from it,” he said, adding, “They must also prioritize people’s health instead of dismantling buildings. Also, the government should think this is a waste of taxpayer money, as these buildings are still too old.”
If the government has to dismantle all these buildings after several years, then what is the purpose of spending a huge amount of money? said Abdul Rashid, another local. “There is one building constructed in the memory of children who lost their lives in a drowning incident. Is it unfair to demolish that building when we have a 200-bed non-starter yet?”
The residents of these areas urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to order a probe into the matter as to why old buildings are being dismantled with the claim that a new 200-bed hospital will be constructed, even though the already existing 200-bed hospital is not yet operational.