Bureaucracy mars Baba Balak Nath Multispeciality Hospital Project- feels Dr PC Sharma
A vision without action is called a day dream but then again action without a vision is called nightmare. Most of the bureaucrats work in this way and one of such visions that could not turn into action is Baba Balak Nath Multi-speciality Hosptal after 40 years. Pleas of the state government in the past that temples were taken over for well management but it did not go well with the public even today.
Notably, Himachal Pradesh is the only state where temples management are being headed by the bureaucrats with least accountability and huge facility thus, obviously, the present management system remained arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response to public exigencies for want of requisite expertise and experience, feels Dr Sharma. In other Indian states, the incumbent Governors and Chief Ministers are the chairmen and vice chairmen of the temple trusts respectively along with galaxy of eminent personalities from varied and versatile background with great acumen as managing trustees and hence the Temple Management system works with adequate efficiency and proficiency.
Moreover, additionally, Dr Sharma also proposes for constituting Baba Balak Nath University on the pattern of Mata Vaishno Devi University in view of cementing, strengthening and proper functioning of hitherto educational, technical and medical institutions. Fortunately, people have been living with internationally famed Baba Balak Nath Temple over the centuries and the temple has been providing rich revenue exchequer to the government.
Some people have even advocated that all Hindu Temples should be run by an authority on the pattern of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) that betterly runs and controls all Sikh Temples across the country and outside in more technical, spiritual and specialized manner.
A dream project of having 200-bed Multi-speciality Hospital by the name of Lord Shiva’s universally acclaimed incarnation deity- Baba Balak Nath which was to come up on the chunk of land valued crore of rupees of the hereditary right holders of the Sidh Peeth was envisaged by the government some 40 years ago. Though the hospital project was enthroned by the former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar with great enthusiasm has now lost its sheen because of apathy and neglect of bureaucracy rued Sidh peeth’s prominent scion Dr P C Sharma
Villagers of the area have no access to basic medical care and sting was felt severe during COVID pandemic. Present scene of the area presents a pathetic picture of bad roads connectivity, unrepaired pathways, lack of safe drinking water, no technical and medical institute and non-existence of health care paraphernalia all sum up to dereliction of the bureaucracy. Now, the locals and lakhs of devotees of the Sidh Peeth from India and abroad are raising their arms to free temple from the clutches of bureaucracy. People were of the opinion that since the taking over the temple by the Government, there was no improvement in providing civic amenities, health care, education etc. When the temple was managed by the precursory local committee, it started number of educational and developmental projects such as degree college, Sanskrit college, schools, museum, libraries, afforestation and Eco-regeneration schemes; and other civil works etc. The institutional and developmental works of the area had been in the priority list of the local descendant’s management committee earlier before temple nationalization by the Government affirmed Dr Sharma
People also start asking the bureaucracy about the huge earnings and donations of the temple pegged at a whooping crores of rupees was spent. They apprehended that the temple’s earnings and devotees donations were being siphoned to some other purposes and projects outside the specified area. “It is a matter of great concern that the state government had not taken much interest in the healthcare dream project of the area,” said the villagers.
The issue again raised its head when the panchayat of Chakmoh boycotted the recently held panchayat elections and now about two dozens more adjoining panchayats have joined hands in their noble cause to express solidarity to support the legitimate demands of the lakhs of masses. The peoples have accused the Government of showing gross insensitivity to the medical exigency of the villagers. These panchayats have also decided to boycott all ensuing elections.
The Chairman of the prominent People’s NGO “Jan Jagran Jan Kalyan Society, Dr. PC Sharma who is globally credited with outstanding contribution and vast experience in multidisciplinary field of heritage, history, art, architecture, science, culture, museum, environment and education etc. vehemently remarked that the Multispeciality hospital could be a lifeline for the locals as well as lakhs of national and international pilgrims of the Sidh Peeth as the area is presently bereft of any medical facility within the 55 kilometers of radius.
Bureaucracy mars Baba Balak Nath Multispeciality Hospital Project- feels Dr PC Sharma
Besides, huge followers of Baba Balak Nath in lakhs, the Barsar constituency is blessed with more than hundred of other ancient pilgrim places of historical,architectural and socio-cultural significance and attracts thousands of audience and tourists in the area including historians and researchers divulged Dr Sharma.
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