The Jan Chetana Manch staged demonstration on Monday against the alleged indifferent attitude of Uttarakhand Government towards the medical requirements of the district headquarter Pauri and demanded the doctors, including the specialists, be appointed in the District Hospital and the District women Hospital at Pauri soon.
Hundreds of protestors participated in the protest rally that weaved through the main markets of the town. The markets remained shuttered in support of the stir during the time the rally was staged.
The Jan Chetana Manch’s rally started from the bus station and passed through laxminaryan temple before getting back to the bus station. Then it proceeded towards Dhara Road, Collectorate, Upper bazaar, Agency and Civil line before ending in the premises of Chief Medical Officer and Health Director Garhwal’s regional office. The protestors raised slogans against the Uttarakhand Government, Chief Minister, Health Minister and Pauri M l A. The protestors carried the posters and banners that contained the demands for doctors in the district hospitals.
The protestors gheraoed the Chief Medical officer for nearly one hour in the health department premises and demanded ENT, cardiologist, physicians and other doctors be deputed in the district hospitals to redress the problems the people of district headquarter Pauri keep on facing.
CMO Dr AK Singh reportedly told the protestors that he has no power to appoint doctors with the initiative resting exclusively with the State Government. The Jan Chetana Manch convener Dalbir Singh Negi said that the former Pauri MlA Brij Mohan Kotwal had talked to the health secretary over phone and asked him to redress the problems long plaguing the district hospital. Otherwise, the people will come out on the roads in large number in the coming days.
At this, the health secretary assured that the doctors will be appointed within 15 days, the Manch spokesperson said. Negi also talked to the Health Minister, but he was said to have given no positive response. Negi stressed that the agitation will start from 28 October with sit- in to be followed by massive protest demonstration and relay hunger strike. Manch said the agitation will continue till the demands are met.