Zaffer Iqbal
Uri (Baramulla), Jun 9: (GNS) Residents of border town Uri in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district Tuesday demanded shifting of COVID19 sample collection centre presently functioning here at ‘Officers Club’.
Locals while talking to GNS said that amid the surge in detected cases, it has become imperative upon the authorities to relocate the collection centre from the current venue at ‘Officers Club’ in the town.
Expressing their apprehensions locals said that: “With the centre receiving maximum number of suspected cases arriving from outside, it becomes imperative upon the authorities to relocate the centre away from human habitation.”
A local said that, “With regular sampling at the centre amid the spike is posing a serious threat to our lives,” adding “everyday administration brings a large number of people from different quarantine centers of sub-division Uri for sampling to the centre.”
“The visits of pregnant ladies to the centre with their attendants, who later, go on roaming around makes the situation even worse”, he said.
Another local said the administration has venues to relocate the centre at any alternate place available.
“They can shift the centre to Bandi rest house or else to the land identified for setting-up of Degree College Boniyar”, the local said.
Meanwhile, Block Medical Officer (BMO) Uri Dr. Mohammad Ramzan while talking to GNS said that they had earlier shifted the centre to sports office at mini-stadium in Uri.
“We had operationalized the centre only for a day at the venue, he said adding “due to lack of space coupled amid rainy season we had to shift.”
When contacted over the issue, Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri, Reyaz Ahmad Malik expressed hope that the centre will be relocated soon.
“We have already raised the matter with higher up to shift the centre from the current venue” adding “Hopefully, it will be done sooner than later.”(GNS)
