Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 16: The Group of Concerned Citizens (GCC) today urged the government to improve governance by making the administrative apparatus more responsible and responsive, while also drawing attention to pressing healthcare, environmental, and infrastructure issues in Jammu and Kashmir.
A GCC spokesperson said in a General Body meeting the group raised alarm over declining rural healthcare services, increasing patient referrals to tertiary hospitals in Srinagar and Jammu, and lack of access to cancer care. “It called for immediate recruitment of doctors and specialists to fill existing vacancies,” he said.
Highlighting ecological degradation, GCC warned of the “dying” Anchar Lake and the shrinking carrying capacity of River Jhelum due to lack of dredging, illegal mining, and unchecked encroachments. “The least the government could do is to notify Anchar Lake for conservation under the Lakes Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA),” the spokesperson said.
GCC also termed the Achhan landfill site in Srinagar an “unfolding public health crisis,” citing concerns about toxic gas emissions and rising cases of cancer, respiratory issues, and infertility. It proposed an expert study by medical colleges to assess the health impact,” the spokesperson said.
He added that the group emphasized the urgent need for restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, in line with Supreme Court directives and assurances from the Prime Minister and Home Minister, calling it “vital for national interest.”
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