Finally, SMC to give nod for Cancer hospital

Srinagar, July 19: The Cancer Hospital proposed to be set up at Ahmed Nagar here by the Cancer Society of Kashmir (CSK) is likely to get government’s nod.
Construction of the hospital was initially objected to by the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), which considered it a violation of the Master Plan.
Now, the corporation has decided to review the proposal.
“I am proposing to help them, as it will be a facility for the poor people of the state. I have asked the Joint Commissioner Planning to take up the case. It will hopefully be approved,” Municipality Commissioner, Riyaz Ahmad Wani, told The Kashmir Monitor.
He said the CSK has proposed a polyclinic, not a full-fledged hospital.
“Actually, our existing master plan suggests that there shall be no hospital in a residential area. But there case is strong as they have all the required facilities.”
An area of about 400 Kanals, valuing Rs 5 crore, was donated by a retired Engineer in the Power Development Department (PDD) Mohammmad Amin Andrabi and his wife Masooda in memory of their daughter Syed Tazha, who lost her battle to cancer in 2015.
As per the CSK members, the hospital was objected to by the government twice in the past on the basis of its proposed location at Zakura here and Awantipora in south Kashmir.
According to the Srinagar Development Authority (SDA), hospital should only meet certain requirements.
“They shall have facilities like car parking spread over eight Kanals of land, a Sewage Treatment Plant, generator backup, and it shall not cause noise pollution. Then, there can’t be any objection,” said SDA’s Chief Town Planner, Fayaz Ahmad Khan.
The CSK believes that the hospital would be of value in view of the rise
The delay in permission, a CSK member said, has confined the project earmarking of the land.
“We fenced the area. For the last six months, we have been running from pillar to post,” he said, wishing not to be quoted by name.
“This is not a private hospital, but it belongs to the people as they only donated for it. It will have hi-tech facilities for chemotherapy, radiation, operation theaters, and special wards.”