No ventilator, oxygen concentrator provided to any hospital
Despite widespread criticism, new Policy yet to be amended
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 20: Defeating the objectives behind the Government decision, Excise Department has failed to effectively utilize Social Responsibility Corpus Fund, which was created in the year 2016 for several philanthropic activities and reduce the harmful effects of consumption of liquor. Moreover, despite wide-spread criticism from different sections of society, the Government has failed to amend the controversial provisions of Excise Policy 2019-20.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that vide Government Order No.50-F of 2016 dated February 23, 2016, the then Commissioner/ Secretary to Government, Finance Department Navin K Choudhary accorded sanction to the creation of Social Responsibility Corpus Fund in the Excise Department for various philanthropic activities and to reduce the harmful effects of consumption of liquor.
It was announced at that time that the Social Responsibility Corpus Fund would be utilized for educating the public about the ill-effects and hazards of drug-addiction and drunken driving; providing ambulance service on National Highways and other emergency care equipment to hospitals in the shape of ventilators and oxygen concentrators etc; providing funds to the Traffic Department for the purchase of breath-analysers and rehabilitation of families involved in illicit liquor trade by enabling them to take up alternate means of livelihood and their skill development.
However, the objectives behind the creation of Social Responsibility Corpus Fund could not be achieved till date. This is evident from the fact that during 2016-17, eight ambulances were provided to the Health Department while as only two ambulances were given in the year 2017-18 financial year.
“However, during the current financial year, which is going to close on March 31, 2019, no ambulance has been provided to the Health Department”, sources informed, adding “this has clearly established that with the passage of time utilization of Social Responsibility Corpus Fund for the intended objectives has failed to receive due attention of the Excise Department”.
Terming as unjustified the excuse of the Excise Department that Health Department has failed to respond to its repeated requests for giving requirement of the ambulances particularly for the National Highways, sources said that if there was no cooperation from the Health Department the Excise Department should have brought the issue to the notice of the Chief Secretary for his direct intervention, adding “since there is already shortage of ambulances there was no justification in not exploring this option”.
Moreover, no ventilator or oxygen concentrator has been provided to any of the hospitals in the State under Social Responsibility Corpus Fund as such its objective has largely been defeated, sources further said. “On this aspect, the Excise Department is claiming that there was no proposal from the Health Department for making available ventilators or oxygen concentrators “, they added.
“It is a matter of concern that neither Health Department nor Excise Department understands the importance of life-saving equipments like ventilators in the health institutions”, sources said.
They further disclosed that even adequate and required number of equipments have not been provided to the Drug De-Addiction Centres in the State, which otherwise was one of the objectives behind the Social Responsibility Corpus Fund.
When contacted, an officer of the Excise Department said, “we are planning to approach the Deputy Commissioners instead of Health Department for purchase of ambulances and providing necessary support to the Drug De-Addiction Centres”. However, he failed to specify the reasons behind not exploring this option till date.
Meanwhile, despite wide-spread criticism from the various sections of the society, the Government has failed to amend the controversial provisions in the Excise Policy 2019-20, which state: “New liquor vends shall be at a minimum distance of 100 meters from the religious places, schools, hospitals, nearest liquor shops and in conformity with the provisions of the J&K Excise Act, 1958 and Liquor License and Sale Rules, 1984”.
In the earlier Excise Policy, it was mentioned that new liquor outlets of all types shall be at a minimum distance of 300 meters from the religious places, educational institutions, hospitals, public parks, nearest liquor shops/bars and in conformity with the provisions of J&K Excise Act, 1958 and J&K Liquor License and Sales Rules, 1984.
“It seems that genuine concern of the common masses doesn’t carry any importance for the Government otherwise it should have amended the controversial provisions in the new policy”, sources regretted.
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