Hafrada craves for mobile connectivity
The claims regarding upgradation of mobile connectivity in rural areas is falling flat in Hafrada, a remote village in Tarathpora tehsil of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district with the authorities failing to provide mobile connectivity to people living here since its inception in Kashmir valley.
Locals said that the village comprises at least 200 families with more than 2000 population but has been deprived of the very basic right of telecommunications, leaving the inhabitants high and dry.
Locals said that they have to walk several kilometers to reach a specific hilly spot where their mobile phones receive signals and only then do they manage to make and receive calls.
Locals said that at the time of a medical emergency, people face a lot of hardships and cannot contact their relatives immediately.
“Our mobile phones are of no use once we reach home. They serve as mere playing gadgets during evening hours,” said Shabir Ahmad, a local government employee.
The students of the area face most of the brunt because they do not have access to the internet.
"We are preparing for different SSB exams but due to lack of mobile connectivity, we can’t even talk to each other to clear our doubts. Surfing the internet on mobile phones in our village has been a distant dream for years now,” said Ikhlaq, a job aspirant.
The residents said that they had brought this issue into the notice of the district administration numerous times but to no avail
They have now sought immediate intervention of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara Ayushi Sudan in this regard so that their grievances are redressed at the earliest.
NTPHC Monbal lacks staff; people suffer
The residents of the Haril area have expressed strong resentment against the lack of staff at New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC) Monbal, resulting in severe hardships for the inhabitants of over 50 villages.
The hospital which caters to several upper reaches and remote villages including Lahikote, Changdi, Monbal, Bandi, Malikpora, Utroosa, Kelshan, Londa, Haril, Jahama, Sheikhpora, and others lacks staff due to which people suffer a lot.
The residents alleged that the hospital which was established two decades ago had never remained a priority for the authorities.
"We belong to a heavy snow-bound area and due to the accumulation of several feet of snow and lack of specialist doctors at NTPHC Monbal are forced to shoulder our patients on makeshift cots by walking several kilometers to reach Haril from where we board passenger vehicles to reach Qalamabad or Handwara hospital for treatment,” said Rizwan Mir, a local.
The residents said that a dental surgeon used to come to a hospital a few days a week but since his transfer his replacement was yet to be made.
The residents complained about the lack of basic facilities like X-ray, ECG, and USG which affects the smooth functioning of the hospital.
The residents said that they had been pressing for specialised doctors including gyneacologists for many years but to no avail.
“We requested the authorities several times to make this hospital functional round the clock but to no avail,” said Nazir Ahmad War, a local inhabitant.
The residents requested the concerned authorities and LG Manoj Sinha to look into the matter personally and redress their grievances, so that people heave a sigh of relief.
Machil residents demand upgradation of facilities at health centre
The residents of Machil in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have urged Lieutenant Governor’s administration to upgrade the existing health centre at Machil to a New Type Primary Health Centre (NTPHC).
The residents said that the existing health centre lacks both staff as well as diagnostic facilities due to which people suffer a lot.
“During winters, people can hardly move out of their houses due to several feet of snow in the area and whenever any medical emergency arises, people are forced to shoulder patients to reach the Primary Health Centre (PHC) Duddi for treatment,” Sarpanch Machil Habibullah told Greater Kashmir.
