Srinagar, July 14: Chairman and Chief Executive Councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil, Dr Mohd Jaffer Akhoon, called on the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, and submitted a comprehensive memorandum of demands concerning pressing public welfare issues faced by the people of Kargil district.
The memorandum highlighted several urgent concerns including the appointment of a Nodal Officer to assist patients from Kargil referred to SKIMS, GMC Jammu, and Srinagar. Dr Akhoon highlighted the difficulties that patients from Kargil face in accessing specialised medical treatment in hospitals outside the district, and requested that dedicated support systems be put in place to help make their treatment process smoother and more manageable.
He strongly advocated for prioritising admissions for Kargil-based students in paramedical institutes in J&K, citing the lack of such training institutions in Ladakh. A key demand also included the provision of registrarship for doctors after completing postgraduate medical education, to facilitate career advancement and improve healthcare delivery in the region.
Issues regarding the proper functioning of student hostels in Srinagar and Jammu were raised, along with requests for better inter-departmental coordination. Dr Akhoon appealed for a special admission quota for students from Kargil in undergraduate and postgraduate courses at universities in Kashmir and Jammu, given the dual challenges of domicile restrictions and financial constraints.
He also discussed the sewerage problems being faced in both the Srinagar and Jammu hostels, the issue of NOC for tourist bungalows located in various villages of Kargil that come under JKTDC jurisdiction and have remained unused since 2019, and the demand for handing over a piece of borrowed land—meant for the use of the people of Kargil—which currently falls under the jurisdiction of the Jammu Development Authority, to LAHDC Kargil.
He further brought attention to the problems faced by Kargil taxi operators, especially the lack of designated parking facilities in Srinagar and Jammu. A request was made for earmarking parking areas to address this issue. The memorandum also sought land in both cities for the construction of patient sarais and additional student hostels, in view of the growing number of students and patients. Dr Akhoon also proposed the allocation of land for a graveyard for the Kargil community in Srinagar and Jammu, especially critical during winter months when the Zojila Pass remains closed.
The Hon’ble Chief Minister gave a patient and sympathetic hearing and assured that all the concerns raised would be reviewed seriously and necessary action taken.
Dr Akhoon also met with Ms Sakina Itoo, the Hon’ble Minister for Health and Education, J&K. In his meeting with the Minister, he discussed the health and education challenges faced by the people of Kargil and requested her active cooperation in resolving the matters mentioned in the memorandum.
This visit reflects LAHDC Kargil’s proactive and continued commitment to the welfare of its people.
