Srinagar, May 22: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said a new children’s hospital would be set up near SMHS hospital here in order to dovetail the facilities at the two health care institutions.
“We are now constructing a new children’s hospital near SMHS hospital on modern lines. This will help to dovetail the facilities and reduce the distance of children’s hospital from Lal Ded (maternity hospital),” Omar said during an interaction with civil society members here last evening.
The decision has, however, drawn flak, as according to experts Karan Nagar is already heavily congested and relocation of the pediatric hospital there would only add to the mess and there is even the danger of ailing kids getting stuck up in traffic jams in the area.
Omar criticized the decision to move GB Pant Children’s hospital to Sonawar from Lal Ded Hospital Wazir Bagh saying it made the health care facility for infants distant from the maternity hospital.
“The shifting of children’s hospital from Lal Ded to GB Pant hospital was not in fact a good decision. It not only made the hospital distant but reduced the bed strength from 180 to 110,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the major failure in reporting the condition and status of the hospital by the concerned management to the top level in the government made the things worst.
“Soon I received the details of shortcomings of the hospital, immediate measures both on administrative and service delivery disciplines were taken and we expect improvement within days,” he said.
More than 380 children have died at the G B Pant hospital since the beginning of this year while 895 had died during the last year.

ON OVERALL SITUATION
Giving credit to people for making 2011 year of peace, Omar asked the civil society to render wholehearted help the government carry peace dividends to every area in the shape of development and economic welfare.
“Despite excuses provided to create law and order situation, it is highly laudable that people denied to fall prey in the hands of vested interests and assured peaceful situation to prevail in the state especially in valley”, he said.
Omar expressed the hope that peace will further take roots and economic prosperity would flourish extensively.
“You have seen the benefits of peace by witnessing holistic development in all sectors with highest tourist boom. It also paved the way for removing 40 bunkers alone from Srinagar city and many more in other parts of the valley. It also helped to reduce the number of security forces”, he asserted.
Omar referred to the historic initiatives taken by his government in the shape of enactment of Public Service Guarantee Act (PSGA), Right to Information Act, Third Party Monitoring of development projects, e-tendering and e-procurement aimed at bringing transparency in the functioning of administration and making government answerable to common people.
Chief Minister also talked about construction, upgradation, macadamization and widening of roads and commissioning of bridges during the last year.

ON REHABILITATION
The Chief Minister made it clear that rehabilitation of traders, affected by widening of roads and raising of other public service infrastructure, has been flagged as priority.
Omar said he has directed the concerned to start earth-breaking for prestigious, Rs 256 crore Jehangir Chowk Flyover project only after completing the rehabilitation of affected traders.
“We have been assured adequate funds by Asian Development Bank for this project and it will be completed 30 months after the launch of construction work”, he explained and said that soon after rehabilitation of traders, which is in its final stage, the utility shifting will take place.

ON TOURISM
On tourism, Omar said this sector is of significant economic importance for the state. “While we are concentrating on opening new destinations for tourists, equal thrust is on the development of adventure, sports and pilgrim tourism. He said that good roads and better tourist infrastructure along with best possible services are important ingredients to flourishing tourism. He asked all the stake holders in this sector to work jointly to achieve new goals in the development of tourism sector in the state.
Omar said that Houseboat is the heritage of the State and its extinction would not be allowed at all. He said government would provide all possible help to the owners of Houseboats to maintain these and extend best service to the visitors and flourish economically.

ON POWER SCENARIO
The Chief Minister also touched other development sectors and talked about the power scenario prevailing in the state. He said that the state bears Rs 2000 crore losses on the supply of electricity to the consumers annually. “You have to help me to make people habitual of paying the electricity bills as per the load and consumption as also consider power theft equal to any other kind of theft”, he said and presented resume of the measures his government has taken to enhance generation and upgrade its transmission and distribution.
“My government is not in favour of imposing any hardship on people on the electricity count. We want to improve the supply position and provide quality power. You have to support me by making people aware of their responsibility of paying the fee as per the consumption made”, he said identifying the benefits of water usage tax imposed by his government on the power companies. He said since the Act was enforced, the state has obtained water tax to the tune of Rs 750 crore from NHPC till now. “Others talk but we act on ground”, he said taking a dig on PDP on this count.
The Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar, Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, Chairman, Women Development Corporation, Shamima Firdous, legislator Irfan Shah, Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B B Vyas, Principal Secretary Home, B R Sharma, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir. Asgar Samoon, IGP, Kashmir SS Sahai and other senior offices were also present in the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 22 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 23 May 2012 00:00:00 IST