Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 6: Scores of residents from Kulangam, Chogal and Gund Chogal areas of North Kashmir’s Handwara today staged a protest against the suspension of construction work on the Government Medical College (GMC) Handwara, demanding that the project be resumed at its originally approved site.
The protesters, including panches and sarpanches from seven panchayats, gathered in the area and opposed any proposal to shift the medical college to Nutnussa from Chogal, saying the halt in work had created uncertainty and affected local development.
The demonstrators said a committee headed by the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir had already identified two locations for the project, but questioned why its report had not been made public.
Abdul Ahad Bhat, an 80-year-old resident of Kulangam, said the project had been approved for the area nearly six years ago and substantial work had already been carried out before construction was stopped.
“Trees were uprooted, orchards cleared and even houses were vacated for the medical college. Crores of rupees have already been spent and the foundation was laid in Chogal. We want to know why the work has suddenly been stopped,” Bhat said.
He said local residents had repeatedly approached the authorities seeking clarification over the suspension of work, but had received no response.
“The time is passing and the project may eventually be abandoned. We have repeatedly approached the authorities, but nobody is listening to us,” he added.
Bhat claimed that although the originally identified site was later declared flood-prone, around 283 kanals of Government land were available within the same panchayat for the project.
“The GMC should not be taken out of Chogal,” he said.
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