Crores spent on advertisements, no infrastructure for provide eye care services

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 13: While big advertisement campaigns have been started by the state government to prevent the blindness cases in Jammu and Kashmir, but on ground nothing has been done to create facilities for the same.

If a cursory look is given at the infrastructure available in the hospitals in the state to provide help to the patients affected by various eye ailments, one gets dismayed, while crores are being spent on the advertising different central sponsored schemes.   

“If these crores spent on media campaigns are spent on upgrading the infrastructure it could help thousands of people. Government is totally wasting the money”, said a official.

A senior doctor on condition of anonymity said that while number of programmes are organised every year on the World Sight Day, but they remain for that day only, while for other part of the year nobody cares about providing medical services.

Surprisingly state government has still failed to establish an eye bank in any hospital of the state, which is a major failure on part of the government.

Even though in the health centres running under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), there is no availability of equipments and other required infrastructure, besides this the staff appointed is also not adequate.

“The government has announced the free eye checkup for the eye patients in our area, but where we go for the treatment as in the health centre of our area does not have the facility to examine the even patients for a simple disease” said Rajesh Kumar of Gho Manasha.

Wishing anonymity a doctor posted in a Primary Health Centre (PHC) said that the government has provided us limited infrastructure and staff is also less; we have to manage all patients within this condition.

Showing helplessness she said many times we have sent demands for medicine and staff but nothing has been done so far.

Director Health Services, Jammu Dr Madhu Khullar could not be contacted even after repeating attempts.

“Let your eyes live after you’--the slogan undoubtedly looks appealing but the fact is that not even a single eye donation has taken place in the past over a decade in Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu, which has no facilities to store donated corneas”, said a official source.

The last corneal transplantations were done at the GMC, Jammu, in 1997 and 10 years on things have not improved much in the backdrop of human organ transplant act.

However, a senior ophthalmologist claimed that registration process had been initiated and after getting everything in place donations and transplantations strictly in adherence to the human organ transplant act would begin.

Education mess

4830 schools without their own building

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 12: Despite pumping crores of rupees in improving the educational infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, nearly 4830 educational institutions in across the state are functioning without their own buildings. These startling figures have been revealed by the government document.

Data says that out of these, 4119 primary schools, 628 middle schools, 76 high schools and 7 higher secondary schools are without government building. Apart from this, 984 upgraded institutions are deficient in accommodation with break up figures: 611 High Schools and 373 Higher Secondary Schools.

Figures further reveal that 474 primary schools buildings are in dilapidated condition with 28 upper middle schools without own buildings, 52 primary institutions lacking drinking water/toilet facility. 541 middle schools lack drinking water/ toilet facility. 68 high schools functioning in rented buildings, 7 Govt. higher secondary institutions are functional in rented buildings. 125 high schools lack drinking water/toilet facility, 101 higher secondary institutions lack drinking water/toilet facility.

It further reveals that only 75 per cent teachers at primary level in the state are trained as against national average of 89 per cent.  However survey has also thrown open some positive trends in the education sector, as per the NCERT Report (2003) on assessment of Class V student achievements, the learning achievement in Mathematics and in Language in primary classes in J&K is 36.3 per cent and 49.6 per cent respectively as against the national average of 46.5 per cent in Maths and 58.57 per cent in Language.

About 51 Model Cluster Schools have been made functional, out of 79 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhlya (KGBV)s, 78 KGBVs have been made operational till date.

Survey says that with the expansion in educational facilities the number of literates has increased but has not been able to keep pace with the increasing population. “In absolute terms, the number of literates have increased from 3.93 lakh in 1961 to 45.16 lakh in 2001 and further to 61.65 lakh in 2008”, survey says.

Analysis of the progression of the Literacy Rate during 2001 census and 2008 survey results reveals that Urban Males have highest literacy rate (83.15 per cent) while rural females are least literate (52.70 per cent). “The analysis also shows that during both the years the literacy among females is at a disadvantageous position than their counterparts. It is also prevalent that urban areas have much literacy concentration than rural areas.

Gharana Wetland

Revenue deptt hindering its development as tourist spot

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 11: With Revenue Department not handing over the possession of Gharana Wetland to the Department of Wild Life Protection (DWLP), plans of government to make it a tourist destination have fell flat.

Most of the ambitious plans formulated by the administration could not be taken up, because the revenue department is not allowing the Wildlife department to carry on the work.

Talking to TNI, Regional Conservator, DWLP, Upinder Pachnanda said that the state government has notified the Gharana Wetland Reserve to our department, but the revenue department is not handing over its possession to them.

Officials said that there was plan to develop the Gharana Wetland to attract thousands of pilgrims who visit the state and save the birds who visit the spot every winter from far off places like Europe and Siberia.

The state government planned to launch eco-tourism in the wildlife protected areas including sanctuaries and wetlands has been grounded with the Wildlife authorities maintaining that human interference will disturb the wild animals and their habitat.

Places selected for development of eco-tourism in the state included Shalabugh, Hokersar Wetland Conservation Reserve, Surinsar, Gharana and Mansar wetlands, Asia’s largest freshwater lake Wular, famous hill-station Gulmarg, besides Aru, Thajawas, Trikuta, Ramnagar, Jasrota and Nandini Wildlife Sanctuaries.

Not only this unchecked encroachment by locals in the area has reduced the size of wetland to almost half of its original size of 0.75 sq km.

“On official records, this wetland is spread on an area of 0.75 sq km, but encroachment by the local farmers have reduced this wetland to less than half the size that it used to be a couple of years ago,” says a senior wildlife guard at the wetland reserve.

Environmentalists, too, warn that wetlands in the state are rapidly shrinking due to official apathy and rampant encroachment, endangering thousands of animals and migratory birds.

A senior wildlife officer admits that there has been a widespread encroachment in the Gharana Wetland Reserve and the government is taking steps to retrieve encroached land from the locals.

According to wildlife experts, shrinking wetlands have also affected the behaviour of water birds. The number of birds, who used to throng this wetland in the past, has gone down because of shallow water.

The experts say for the past few years they have observed that the migratory birds that visit this wetland vie for space.

Mansar Lake: worst nightmare for visitors, Govt. totally apathetic

Tahir Mushtaq


JAMMU, Oct 8: Notwithstanding tall claims of the state government to develop tourist spots in Jammu region, the pathetic condition of the famous tourist spot Mansar Lake near Samba is one such glaring example of official apathy. 


One of the major attraction for tourists and pilgrims, Mansar Lake has been the worst sufferer due to step motherly treatment by the concerned authorities. 


The Lake which has religious sanctity also is thronged by large number of devotees both within and outside the state regularly. 


But due to government’s casual approach the lake is losing its importance gradually. 


The condition of roads which connects the area with different parts of the state are also not is good condition this is also one main reason due to which tourists avoid to visit there. 


Locals said that in Mansar there is an old fort which too is in bad condition. 


They also said that there the decrease in the water level in the lake is one of the major concerns adding that the lawns are also in bad condition as these are filled with garbage. 


The government has appointed many employees to look after the lawn and other things but nobody is bothered or even concerned to maintain these lawns. 


The people also allege that the newly upgraded Pakka Path around the Lake is broken and shattered and present an ugly look. 


Source said that the government also planned to formulate comprehensive conservation projects for Lake of Mansar with a special focus on the restoration of the habitats and expansion of green cover in the surroundings of the two prestigious water bodies. 


“And the government has sanctioned a huge amount of money for the said project, but nothing has been done in this regard so far” said the source. 


Sources also said that Saruinsar-Mansar Development Authority (SMDA) which has been set up by Government lacks technical expertise. No environment engineers, wetland conservation experts or other technical persons required for the purpose have been deployed. 


The major focus is being given on rising of certain viewpoints surrounding the lakes and construction of pacca foot paths or development of parks for attracting tourism. 


Broken roads, which pose the biggest hindrance to the entire tourism potential in the region, characteristically mark the negative aspect of the tourist destination. 


The lake is situated around 40 km in the south of Udhampur town on the Udhampur-Samba road, while it is also linked with Jammu city by a 62- km road. 


The road stretch from Samba to Mansar up to Battal Morh is in bad shape having potholes and streams of boulders and dirt. The road is dug up at several places. It has not been black topped for the past several years. 


Like Surinsar in the vicinity, it is the habitation of seasonal birds, tortoise and fish of different species. It has a wildlife sanctuary housing spotted deer, neelgai, besides other water birds such as cranes and ducks. 


“Poor road network is hindering free influx of tourists,” said an employee of the tourism department, adding that only urgent repair and metalling can put an end to the travelling woes. 


“Due to the deplorable condition of roads, the transporters are also facing a lot of loss as their vehicles develop unwanted problems,” he added. 


When contacted Chief Executive Officer, SMDA, Mohinder Singh said that to attract more and more tourists the department has send some proposals for the tourism related infrastructures. 


He further said that the department is on work to develop Mansar with every possible effort adding that the role of the SMDA is to create the infrastructure for tourism and to attract the tourists. 


However, Singh added that the Mansar Lake is not come under their judiciary, and Wildlife department looks after it. 


Whereas the road connectivity comes under Road and Building (R&B) Department of Samba. 


Talking to TNI, Executive Engineer R&B Department, L K Mattoo said that the department has sent the proposal to the state government for the re-construction of Mansar road, as we got the approval we will start work on it.

Overcrowded SMGS Hospital - patients' nightmare, as Govt. still sleeping

Tahir Mushtaq


JAMMU, Oct 7: The man who signed the treaty of accession, Maharaja Hari Singh, laid the foundation of a hospital in Jammu and Kashmir in 1940. But instead of naming it after him, he christened it on his great-grandfather’s name, as Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital. That makes this hospital one of the oldest ones, but it also has the dubious distinction of being one of the most overcrowded in the state.

Its wards are overcrowded and when the doctors refuse admission to patients, they have no choice but to get admitted in private hospitals.

On an average 500 patients attend the different Out Patient Departments (OPDs). As per official records, the hospital also receives 80-100 indoor patients on daily basis. State government's plan to thin it out from the crowd of people by shifting the other departments of ENT and dermatology from here has become the victim of bureaucratic delay.

Government had a proposal to convert the hospital into the exclusive mother and child care hospital, by shifting both the dermatology and ENT departments from here to the Government Medical College (GMC).

In fact land was also identified at the GMC where the dermatology and ENT departments were to be shifted. The idea was to acquire the land in the periphery of the hospital so that more wards could be opened to accommodate the women” a former Medical Superintendent of the hospital said.

“Since this is a tertiary care hospital, we receive admissions from all the parts of Jammu, that makes it most crowded, he added.

“We also receive normal deliveries at the hospital. We need to set right the referral system in Jammu and the doctors at the district and the sub district hospital who refer the patients to SMGS should give a reason for so, said, a doctor, wishing not to be quoted.

“It is seriously crippled with the staff shortage. There is a staff shortage of 40 per cent in the hospital as per the medical norms” sources said.

SMGS hospital is one of the main hospital of Jammu region catering a huge number of patients coming from far flung area of the region. The hospital is specialized in pediatrics and gynecology besides skin diseases.

If sources were believed in this 550 bedded hospital there are about 800 to 1000 patients are admitted in the hospital on an average. And two patients were forced to accommodate in one bed.

The concern minister had recently called a meeting in this regard and directed the concern department to do the needful to rectify the problems being faced by the patients.

“At various instances the patients’ complaints that they are not getting proper treatment as required, but we are unable to give satisfactory treatment with proper concentration though the infrastructure is also not suitable” said a PG doctor.

However, Medical Superintendent SMGS Dr A K Sharma said the hospital have two more wards to accommodate with required infrastructure to accommodate patients, but due to availability of required number of medical and para-medical staff we are unable to utilize these wards.

He added that if we admitted the patients in these wards who will take care of them.

Car pooling, still a distant dream for Jammu city, as people not showing interest

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 6: Car polling idea of Jammu Traffic police to smoothen the traffic scenario in the Jammu is yet to be implemented, as the department has not got any response from the public side.

“To reduce the traffic congestion on the roads of Jammu the department has introduce the proposal of car polling, but for that we needs support from general public to come with the demand, but till date the department didn’t get any response from their side” said Inspector General of Traffic Police, Hemant Kumar Lohia.

He added that to reduce the traffic violations, the department also initiated a method of realizing challans in which the violators will not be charged on the roads, but they have to fill a form only, the challan would reach to their address,” said Lohia, adding that it will help in ending corruption in the department.

Sources said that the idea behind starting car polling in the city is to overcome the traffic problems due to which public suffered.

They further said that keeping the increasing vehicular traffic in view the traffic department is going to start Pool Car System to reduce traffic on Jammu roads.

“Basically the idea will be benefitted for the employees of both private and government sectors and students having same destination” they added.

Car pooling is the system which is utilization of private or jointly hired vehicles, for private shared journeys. The vehicle is not used in a general public transport capacity such as in car sharing, share taxis or taxicabs. Car pooling also differs from other sharing schemes such as where company government or private vehicles are used by several people at different times.

Lohia disclosed that to execute the plan in visible, the department has launched many awareness programmes in educational institutes, government and private offices and through newspapers. The implementation of this system would be tough as local population may resist this change.

Who runs Kala Kendra? Cultural academy or JDA

Tahir Mushtaq

JAMMU, Oct 4: The Kala Kendra was supposed to provide platform to artists to showcase and preserve their talent, but in absence of coordination between different agencies which manage the Kendra it has turned out to be graveyard for the art.

About 30 stone sculptures were transferred from Abhinav Theater to the Kendra about two years back to give them proper display in absence of space at the Cultural Academy but they have been left haphazardly near the entrance, overtaken by the grass shrubs.

Sources further said that in absence of clear authority on the Kendra number of art works including some paintings kept inside the building are in dilapidated condition negating the very purpose for which the huge complex was built by the state government. 

At present the administration of the Kala Kendra is held by three departments Jammu Development Authority (JDA), Archive department and Cultural academy and sources said that there is total lack of coordination between them.

“How can we take any action as first we have to decide who is managing the Kendra, we don’t have clear authority on it”, said a official from Cultural Academy.

“Kendra does not come under us it has two more managers the Jammu Development Authority (JDA) and Archive department and unless they give us authority we can do something for these art pieces”, he said.

These stone sculptures carved out by some of the prominent artists from J&K and outside the state during the number of camps organized by the Cultural Academy now just appear as pieces of stones and even the visitors are unaware about them.

“At first I couldn’t understand what these stones are but at closer look I recognized them as art pieces. I am totally amazed by their condition”, said Vikram Sharma, a theater artist.

Sources further said that the Kendra was supposed to have a strong room for the preservation of art objects particularly the paintings keeping in view the climatic condition of Jammu but that has also not be build.

“It is not only the matter of stone sculptures but the very purpose of the Kendra for which it was build has been lost and it has become a battlefield among the three contenders who manage its different floors”, said a source.

It is pertinent to mention here that at Abhinav theater after repeated hue and cry raised by the artists in the state, the academy had raised platforms to give display to the art objects, but it took the officials about a 15-years to consider it.