PEERZADA SAYEED
Jammu: Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Karnah, Javed Ahmed Marchal, forcefully and logically raised the serious issues faced by his constituency Karnah in the Legislative Assembly. He said that Karnah is a border and mountainous area where there are neither industries nor factories, due to which unemployment is becoming a grave problem.
Javed Ahmed Marchal stated that the biggest source of employment for local people in Karnah is the Army, where under the Brigade, local youth are provided employment for six months. While appreciating the services of the Army, he mentioned a recent incident in which around 170 local residents were trapped in a difficult situation. According to the MLA, Army personnel remained on the spot until 2 a.m. and, through timely action, safely rescued all the individuals. He thanked the Brigade Commander and the local administration, saying that the Army is not only the protector of the borders but also proves to be the protector of the people in times of crisis.
Speaking about the health sector, Javed Ahmed Marchal said that the existing 30-bed hospital in Karnah is incapable to meet out the deficiency of a population of over one lakh. In emergency situations, there is an acute shortage of doctors and facilities. He demanded that the hospital be upgraded to at least 100 beds so that better medical facilities can be provided to the public. He further said that even today several areas of Karnah lack road connectivity, due to which patients are carried to hospitals on charpoys or on shoulders, which is a highly alarming situation.
Emphasizing the issue of unemployment, the MLA said that if the government seriously focuses on Karnah and promotes tourism, new employment opportunities can be created for the youth. He said that Karnah is rich in natural beauty, and the promotion of tourism can strengthen the local economy.
He informed the House that the victims whose properties were damaged during shelling in Operation Shindoor have not received compensation. He further stated that under the NHM scheme, sub-centres established in various areas of Karnah had been formally approved by the central government, following which the deployment of FMPWs (Female Multi-Purpose Workers) was also carried out. However, the ground reality appears to be quite the opposite.
According to the rules of the Health Department, if the post of an FMPW remains vacant in a sub-centre for one year, the post is automatically wind up. In such a situation, there is a serious concern that basic health facilities in a difficult and border area like Karnah could be severely affected, directly impacting the local population.
