*Adm Deptt yet to issue orders for constitution of SLAC
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 23: There seems to be no signs of the start of much needed Eye Bank in Government Medical College Jammu in the current financial year as Administrative Department is yet to issue necessary orders for the creation of manpower for Ophthalmology Department and constitution of State Level Authorization Committee (SLAC) required for the registration of the Eye Bank though the civil work has almost been completed.
According to the sources in the Opthalmology Department, an amount of Rs 58.05 lakh were released by the Administrative Department during the financial year 2015-16 for construction of Eye Bank (Prefab structure) and an amount of Rs 130.95 lakh was released in the current year after the report of utilization of earlier funds was submitted to it by the Medical College.
They said that civil work of the Eye Bank has almost been completed while mechanical works like electrification and installation of ACs is in progress. “Procurement of communication equipments and library books for establishment for the Eye Bank is still under process for which the required funds were released in the month of June this year”, they claimed.
“Besides this, procurement of important machinery and equipments is still under process despite the fact that the list of the needed machinery and equipments was furnished to J&K Medical Supplies Corporation in the month of July this year”, the sources said, adding, similarly furniture items required for the Eye Bank could not be procured till date while the funds to the tune of Rs 10 lakh against the same were released in favour of the concerned agency about three months back.
“On the top of that neither registration of Eye Bank nor the creation of manpower could be done till date, as despite request made (about five months back) to the Administrative Department to issue necessary orders in this connection, no such order was issued till date”, sources further informed.
They said even State Level Authorization Committee (SLAC) required for the registration of the Eye Bank could not be constituted till, as the College authorities are still waiting order in this connection from Administrative Department.
Sources further disclosed that Administrative Department has not even released funds for purchase of a dedicated ambulance for the Eye Bank with the plea that the ambulance for the Eye Bank shall be made available from the overall purchase of ambulances during the current financial year.
They informed that with the lone Eye Bank in GMC Jammu remaining closed since 1994, nearly 4000-5000 patients from J&K were visiting neighbouring States every year for corneal transplants at huge expenses.
Despite repeated phone calls to him for his comments on the present status of Eye Bank, Principal, GMC Jammu, Dr Zahid H Gillani, did not respond.
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