Statesman News Service
Raiganj, 19 September
More than 10 years have passed since Dalkhola municipality was formed in North Dinajpur district, yet healthcare facilities for the residents have remained undeveloped. In case of emergency, the patients are being moved either to Raiganj district hospital or to Islampur Sub-divisional hospital. Sometimes patients expire before reaching the hospitals. This dismal sight of health infrastructure of Dalkhola is one of the issues in Dalkhola municipality elections this year.
The president of Dalkhola Town TMC Committee, Mr Swadeh Sarkar, said: "In the past 10 years, both the CPI-M and Congress ruled Dalkhola municipality. The health infrastructure of Dalkhola has remained undeveloped in the past 10 years. In absence of a proper hospital, in case of any serious illness the patients have to move to Raiganj and Islampur around 50 km and 60 km away from Dalkhola respectively. We are rising this issue to the voters. Apart from health, no drainage system has been introduced here. After rains, water logging is another factor the residents of all wards of the municipality face. Both the CPI-M and Congress councillors are responsible for it.
The Secretary of Dalkhola Zonal CPI-M committee, Mr Sujit Dey, said: "In the first five years when the CPI-M ruled Dalkhola municipality, some new drains and roads were constructed. We also took initiative to develop the infrastructure of the Dalkhola health centre. In the past five years, the opponents ruled in Dalkhola municipality. It is to be noted that the municipality board fell three times in the past five years. No development work was done. As a result, residents have no faith on the Congress and TMC."
The Chairman of the last Congress-led board of Dalkhola municipality, Mr Subash Goswami, said: "The infrastructure of old Dalkhola PHC has not been developed yet. In March 2012, during the meeting of Rogi Kalyan samiti we took a resolution and sent a proposal for the State General Hospital to the state health department. In the past two years we also constructed some drains to save residents from water logging."