Government hospital in Okhla?

Advertisement

Related News

• Flood threat in Jamia Nagar, 100 families evacuated from low-lying area
• Helping 'forgotten' Rohingya Muslim refugees in Okhla
• In Okhla, monsoon brings worries once again

When the Delhi government announced its budget recently it unrolled many sops for Delhiites like regularizing unauthorized colonies, opening hospitals and other packages. But there was nothing for Okhla residents. The buzz is that colonies of Abul Fazal Enclave and Shaheen Bagh may not get recognition due to some technical hitches and alleged inside fighting among RWAS.

The Jamia Nagar area populated by some 6 lakh people lacks basic sewage amenities, supply water, quality schools and government-run hospitals. In the last ten years, residents have always expected the Congress government to announce some developmental schemes for the residents.

A five-member delegation led by Delhi Minorities Commission’s chairman Safdar Husain Khan met Delhi government’s health minister Dr Ashok Kumar Walia last month, reported Milli Gazette.

It is understood that during the meeting the delegation raised the issue of a government hospital. Right not there is one small hospital in Batla House that too in bad shape. Besides, there are some swanky, but expensive hospitals where middle-class and poor patients cannot afford.

Charity run hospitals Holy Family and Sujan are within the reach of the poor. But still there is an urgent need of a large government hospital. Al Shifa has also been built recently.

Highlighting all these issues, the delegation was able to convince the minister and it is learned that Walia assured them of taking steps to address the issue by acquiring land. However, the minister didn’t give any time frame about when the hospital will come in.

But the government has plans to develop a Tibbi dispensary located in Abul Fazal Enclave into a small hospital. Now it is for the residents, politician leaders, intellectuals and religious leaders to mount pressure on the government to get the project completed or started before the Assembly election that is a few months away.

All told, RWAs should sit together to sort out the authorization issue with the government as the Congress is desperate to address these issues so that it could bounce back into power next year.