| Government sleeps as hospitals, schools, offices, public establishments continue to be submerged | | | Jehangir Rashid
Srinagar, Sept 19: The recent flood not only ravaged the residential colonies and localities across Kashmir valley but also scores of educational institutions, government offices, bank offices, hospitals and vocational institutes.
These establishments are yet to be cleared from the flood water even though around two weeks have passed since the rains have stopped. The continuous water logging of these establishments has affected the delivery system with the common masses being ultimate sufferers.
Although, chief minister, Omar Abdullah claimed that civil secretariat would be made functional from September 18, the same could not happen due to the presence of flood water in the premises of the highest seat of governance in summer capital. Other than civil secretariat there are many offices that are submerged in the flood water.
Important government institutions like High Court, Legislature Complex, Saddar (Lower Court), Corporate headquarter of Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited, Zonal office of Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited and Tourist Reception Centre located in the vicinity of Lal Chowk continue to be submerged. The dewatering at these institutions is going on at snail's pace and it would take much more time to clear them from the flood water.
In the same way central government offices like Lal Chowk exchange of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited along with the customer care centre of the cellular company, Radio Kashmir Srinagar and Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar are also filled with flood water. Here too the dewatering is going on at a slow pace with the concerned authorities doing the job according to their own convenience.
Even though government has claimed that hospitals like Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, Lalded hospital, G B Pant (Children) hospital and Jhelum Valley College of SKIMS-Soura have been cleared of the flood water but a lot more needs to be done before the hospitals are made functional. The non-functioning of these hospitals has put burden on the handful of hospitals functioning at present.
As the Lalded hospital is not functioning the expectant mothers have been asked to report to the maternity hospital located in the up-town area of Sanat Nagar. Eight beds have been put in the place at this hospital and the surgeries are expected to be carried out at the Bone & Joints hospital at Barzulla. Makeshift arrangements are going on with respect to the patients admitted in the other hospitals. Along with the government hospitals some of the private hospitals and nursing homes are also not functioning due to water logging after the recent floods.
Leading private educational institutions like Delhi Public School, Srinagar, Tyndale Biscoe School, Mallinson Girls School, Convent School Rajbagh, Burnhall School, Woodlands House School and Iqbal Memorial Institute continue to be submerged. In the same way colleges like Sri Pratap (SP) College, Amar Singh College, Bemina Degree College and Government Medical College, Srinagar are also inundated.
Other public and private establishments that are submerged due to flood include Haj House, Habitat Centre, Forensic Science Laboratory, Police Public School, State Board of School Education, State Board of Technical Education, Kashmir Government Polytechnic, Government Polytechnic for Women, Indoor Stadium, Bakshi Stadium, Youth Hostel, Rural Development Department, Agriculture Department, Saddar Treasury, State Forest Corporation, State Pollution Control Board, Forest department and Soil Conservation department. |
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