There is much abysmal deficiency for most of the basic requirements of life in our rural areas. We need to make very frank and fair analysis of which way our democracy is drifting. Certainly everything is not right with it and unless we call a spade by its name we shall not be able to bring about reforms and improve the lot of ordinary bread earner.
Seventy years have gone by when India became free from the colonial rule. But developmental activity needed to take entire mass of population into consideration. How could we see the dawn of prosperity unless we had begun our long march towards the destination of progress from the villages and hamlets where India actually lives. Of various services, education and health care are perhaps the two most important areas and these had to be prioritized at any rate if we really wanted India to enter a new era of her social and political life. Our policy planners are fully aware that the State of Jammu and Kashmir is mostly a hilly and kandi state with very weak economy. This area is not attractive so that teachers and medical professionals would be willing to be posted there. Hence they try to avoid to be posted to far flung areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Padar etc. The condition of hospitals, dispensaries, medical care units in these areas is dismal. Health care area in these mountainous districts is so dismal that even the elected representatives of these areas have been expressing their helplessness in persuading authorities to provide the hospitals with minimum facilities and medical staff. There is no Radiologist in Doda District Hospital and patients have to be carried all the way to Udhampur or Jammu for radiology and ultrasound. Complaints are regularly made by the people, legislators and NGOs but the Government has closed its ears and does not listen. Some time back a Trauma Hospital was opened in Khelani just because the Batote-Bhaderwah and Batote-Doda/ Kishtwar road is mostly accident prone. In case of road accidents, the affected patients need quick trauma treatment if the lives have to be saved. However, what is the utility of having a Trauma Hospital when there are no doctors to attend the patients. This is the unspeakable condition of the rural hospitals and the treatment that the Health Department authorities are meting out to them. Way back on November 15, 2013, the former Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Ghulam Nabi Azad laid the foundation stone for construction of 100-beded Sub-District Hospital at Gandoh. Five years have passed and the building is not complete. How many more years will it take to become functional is anybody’s guess. The people will continue to suffer without seeing a ray of hope anywhere. The rural people in the State are destined to live poor and deprived life. PDP- BJP Government should take steps on war-footing to improve the plights of people living in these far-flung areas.
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