Member of Legislative Assembly from Baramulla, Javid Hassan Baigh, on Thursday accused the administration of Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla of hiding issues that required immediate attention, saying the details furnished by the authorities regarding defunct ventilators amounted to excuses for administrative failures.

Talking to Greater Kashmir regarding the calling attention notice on non-functional ventilators at GMC Baramulla, Baigh said the details provided by the GMC administration reflected an “absolute failure” and questioned why the authorities had waited for the equipment to become non-functional before taking corrective measures.

“The people in the administration at GMC put a veil over the things that need to be addressed,” Baigh said.

He stressed that authorities should have acted before the ventilators became unusable.

He said ventilators were critical life-support equipment and could not be treated like ordinary equipment that could simply be repaired after breaking down.

“As long as you fix the ventilator, the person who needs the ventilator will breathe and stay alive,” he said.

Baigh expressed regret that the district hospital authorities and GMC administration had not brought the matter to his notice immediately.

Baigh said he raised the issue before the Assembly as soon as it came to his knowledge and urged the government to ensure that such lapses were not repeated.

Baigh said the matter should not remain confined to GMC Baramulla and called for a system-wide approach to ensure availability of surplus ventilators and other critical equipment in government hospitals.

“If your capacity is 50, you should have 10-15 surplus, so that if there is a problem somewhere, you can replace it,” he said.

He said maintaining surplus equipment would ensure that patients continued to receive life-support facilities while faulty equipment was being repaired.

Baigh, however, said he did not believe the lapse was intentional, but an “unintentional lapse” and stressed that the authorities needed to be more cautious in the future.

“I can only advise because I am not in the government and my job is to raise the issue with honesty and sincerity,” he said.

He said the minister for health will decide what action should be taken against the officials concerned, saying the issue highlighted the possibility of other problems existing at the institution.

“This is just one issue for them. There are a lot of issues,” Baigh said.

Srinagar, Sep 24: Peoples Conference MLA from Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone Thursday accused an ‘accidental minister’ of humiliating elected legislators by rejecting or ignoring their proposals for developmental works and warned that he would not allow projects to be executed if the concerns of MLAs were not taken seriously.

Speaking during the Zero Hour session of the Legislative Assembly, Lone questioned whether an elected MLA had the privilege to propose developmental works in his constituency or whether such proposals could be rejected at the discretion of a minister.

“If I, as MLA, representative of Handwara Assembly, write that I have to do this, is that privilege of mine or the minister’s?” Lone asked the House.

He said he had submitted a list of roads and other schemes but was told they would not be taken up, calling the situation a matter of privilege, raising questions over the sanctity of the Assembly.

Lone said the Assembly had existed for decades and its institutional authority should not be undermined.

“What has been happening in history for the last 70 years cannot be undone because accidentally the person has become a minister,” he said.

The Handwara MLA, who has also served as a minister during previous PDP led government, said that elected representatives should not be treated as subordinate to ministers when it comes to deciding development priorities in their constituencies.

He urged the Speaker of the Assembly to protect the sanctity of the institution and sought an assurance on what action would be taken if there was a breach of privilege.

“If today there is a breach of privilege, what will you do? What will be your action?” he asked the Speaker.

Lone said MLAs had limited options if their concerns were ignored, including approaching the Lieutenant Governor or the Centre, but said that the Assembly itself should remain the primary institution for raising such issues.

“Our sanctity is here. I urge you (Speaker) to save the sanctity of this institution,” he added.

He also questioned the basis on which funds for developmental works were being allocated, saying such funds did not belong to individual ministers but were allotted and released by the government.

“These accidental ministers, for God’s sake, go and explain to them that this is not money from your house, this money has come from the government,” Lone said.

He said that legislators had fought elections and, within the framework of law, should have a say in deciding how funds were to be spent in their constituencies.

Lone further warned that he would not remain silent if elected representatives were allegedly being sidelined.

“If they think they will walk over us, the question doesn’t arise. Our work will also be done, we will not let anything happen. I promise you this here,” he said in the House.

Lone also sought support from other legislators, including National Conference members, over the issue.

“I put the onus on the Assembly authorities to clarify what action would be taken in the event of a future breach of privilege. I expect an answer on the matter for you sir (Speaker),” he added.

Srinagar, Sep 24: PDP spokesperson Mohammad Iqbal Trumboo on Thursday urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to extend the electricity amnesty for domestic consumers and abolish interest on delayed bills, saying many people were struggling to pay dues because of uncertain incomes.

Trumboo said the government had initially intended to give consumers 12 months to clear outstanding dues, but the amnesty effectively lasted only six months.

“People’s demand was that we were not given the full time and they want an extension of this amnesty,” he said.

He said the amnesty did not waive electricity dues but only allowed consumers to pay outstanding amounts in instalments. “There is no electricity fee being waived,” Trumboo said, arguing that interest on delayed payments should instead be abolished.

Comparing consumer dues with delayed government payments to contractors and suppliers, he asked, “If the government does not pay interest to its suppliers on delayed payments, what right does the government have to collect interest when electricity fees are delayed?”

Trumboo also cited ₹4,500 crore in reported electricity dues pending against government departments and urged the government to extend similar relief to commercial establishments.

Srinagar, Sep 24: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Sunil Sharma, today strongly criticized the National Conference Government over what he termed its failure to fulfil promises made to the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

Reacting to the NC Government’s reported decision to provide only six free LPG cylinders to AAY families, despite its earlier promise of 12 free cylinders, Sharma said that the people deserve clarity and accountability from the government.

Taking the government to task over the issue of the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), the Leader of Opposition said that teachers who have dedicated years to building and educating society are now being asked to prove themselves again through another test.

“Teachers have contributed immensely to building our society and shaping generations. Yet, the government has failed to hold any meaningful debate on their concerns and has shown little sensitivity towards their difficulties. The manner in which this issue has been handled has left the teaching community deeply disappointed,” he said.

Sharma also raised serious concerns over the functioning of the health sector, pointing out that around 1,500 doctor posts are vacant, while 219 ventilators in Government Medical Colleges are reportedly non-functional. He further questioned the reported non-availability of essential diagnostic facilities and materials, including CT scans and X-ray films.

“The health infrastructure cannot be allowed to suffer while the government continues to offer excuses. When patients are struggling to access basic healthcare, the government must answer why critical posts remain vacant and why essential equipment is lying defunct,” Sharma said.

The Leader of Opposition also questioned the government over its commitment to provide 200 units of free electricity to AAY families.

“You promised 200 units of free electricity, but even after two years, not a single AAY family has received this benefit. If you have failed to implement that promise, the people are justified in asking where the promise of free LPG cylinders will come from,” he said.

Sharma said that for every failure, the government appears to have one standard excuse — Statehood.

“Statehood is an important and legitimate aspiration of the people of Jammu & Kashmir, but it cannot become an excuse for every administrative failure. The government has responsibilities that it must discharge with or without Statehood,” he said.

The Leader of Opposition called upon the NC Government to take responsibility for its commitments and provide transparent answers to the people.

“If the government has any moral ground left, it should dissolve itself and wait for Statehood to return. The people of Jammu & Kashmir deserve a government that delivers on its promises, listens to its employees and teachers, and ensures functioning healthcare facilities rather than blaming circumstances for every failure,” Sharma said.