Akshay Azad
Early Times Report
jammu, July 18: With the change of portfolio of Ministry of Health and Medical Education in the state, the after effects are evidently clear with the possibilities of change of location for proposed Medical College Kathua to a site, which was not the preference of the former.
Sources informed Early Times that earlier the location for proposed Medical College was almost finalized in tehsil Marheen near Rajbagh area of district Kathua, which was adjoining to the land of a cabinet minister but before final approval to the site, the portfolio of ministry was changed and so the plans of establishment of college.
"Recently, a legislator from Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) had approached the Health Ministry, suggesting an alternate piece of state land near district hospital Kathua for proposed Medical college", sources said, adding that the legislator had also criticized the location in Rajbagh, terming it very much distant from district headquarters.
Sources said that the Health department has reportedly sent a communiqué to District administration Kathua, seeking a report about the land proposed by the legislator few days back. "Nearly 200 Kanals of land is required for establishment of Medical College and the legislator has proposed that sufficient state-land is available adjoining to district hospital Kathua", sources said, adding that though DDC Kathua has so far not forward the report, sought by Health department.
"But if the state-land, required for the college, will be available near the hospital, the Revenue department will forward a memo in the cabinet for transfer of land to Health Ministry and after approval in the cabinet, the copy of cabinet order will be forwarded to Union government for funds", sources said.
Officials in civil secretariat said that though the Minister and legislators from district Kathua were all from Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the suggestion of changing of site for Medical College, also brought fissures in BJP to fore, as few in party were not satisfied with the working of their leaders.
Tehsildar Mahreen Jatinder Singh said that when the team of Health department had visited the site proposed near Rajbagh, they had sought 200 kanals land in square shape. "With the inclusion of some private land, the requirements were fulfilled and the report was submitted to the higher officials", he said, adding that after that he didn't know further developments in the matter.
DDC Kathua, Ramesh Changer didn't pick up the phone, despite repeated calls. |
