Pulwama, July 5: Concerned residents of Pulwama district in South Kashmir have urged the health department authorities to conduct a safety audit of the newly constructed Inpatient Department (IPD) building at the District Hospital (DH).
Fayaz Ahmad Wani, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industries Kashmir (CCIK) for Pulwama, highlighted that the construction of the new IPD block, completed under the supervision of the Jammu and Kashmir Housing Board, incurred a significant expenditure of approximately 2816.00 lacs. The block was inaugurated in July 2020.
“Unfortunately, some faults have been identified in the building,” stated Wani, pointing out that the ground floor of the IPD block experiences waterlogging issues. He expressed concern that after every rainfall, the ground floor becomes flooded as rainwater seeps into the area due to inadequate drainage mechanisms.
The waterlogging has adversely affected areas such as the medical stores and laundry section within the IPD building. Furthermore, Wani drew attention to the presence of wide cracks on the backside wall of the new IPD block, emphasizing that Pulwama falls in a high seismic zone prone to earthquakes. Hence, he appealed to the authorities to conduct a safety audit of the building by an expert team to prevent potential damage to both the property and lives of individuals.
Dr. Abdul Gani Dar, the Medical Superintendent of District Hospital Pulwama, confirmed the waterlogging issue on the ground floor of the new IPD building. He mentioned that he had taken prompt action upon discovering the problem after assuming his role a couple of months ago. Dr. Dar reported that he had informed the higher authorities and the relevant executing agency about the issue. Engineers from three different agencies were invited to inspect the site, and they recommended the construction of a deep drain to address the waterlogging concern.
“We have prepared a detailed project report, and I am optimistic that we will soon construct a deep drain to rectify the seepage problem,” stated Dr. Dar.
Regarding the alleged wall cracks in the new IPD building, Dr. Dar denied their existence, clarifying that the spaces observed were between the pillars.
The residents’ demand for a safety audit highlights their commitment to ensuring the well-being and safety of patients, staff, and visitors at the District Hospital Pulwama. The authorities are expected to address the concerns promptly and implement necessary measures to rectify the issues identified in the new IPD building.
