BMO Thathri, CMO Doda Issue Clarification on Kencha Health Centre Relocation, Collapse, and Medicine Seizure Incident

Dil Bar Irshad | September 7, 2025 | 10:10 PM IST | Doda, Jammu Kashmir | Follow on Google News

BMO Thathri, CMO Doda Issue Clarification on Kencha Health Centre Relocation, Collapse, and Medicine Seizure Incident

Doda, Sept 7: The Block Medical Officer (BMO) Thathri, in coordination with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Doda, has issued an official clarification regarding the relocation of the Ayushman Arogya Mandir/Health & Wellness Centre (AAM/HWC) at village Kencha, Block Thathri, which recently collapsed amidst political interference.

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According to the statement, the Kencha health centre had been functioning from a rented two-room private building for over five years. Around two years ago, one of the rooms developed major structural damage, raising safety concerns repeatedly flagged by local residents. Following this, the BMO Thathri took up the matter with the CMO Doda for shifting the facility to a safer building.

Several committees were constituted to assess alternate accommodations, and after due process, a building owned by Sh. Abdul Rashid was approved. However, the statement noted that Hon’ble MLA Doda, Sh. Mehraj Malik, opposed the selection and instead attempted to push for another structure belonging to one Ghulam Ali Malik, which was rejected for lacking an electricity connection and being constructed on encroached State land.

Due to the MLA’s objections and an undated, unsigned letter branding the administration as “mafia,” the relocation was delayed. Eventually, the dilapidated Kencha centre collapsed during the intervening night of August 25–26, 2025, leaving the facility non-functional for over a week.

Also Read – FIR against MLA Doda Mehraj Malik & 5 Others | Question On Public Mandate’s Ambit, Non Cooperation of Officials

On the directions of the CMO Doda, the centre was formally shifted to the approved Rashid building on September 5, 2025, after road connectivity was restored. The BMO reported the relocation to the CMO office through the official WhatsApp group at 11:59 AM on the same day.

The controversy escalated later that day when the BMO staff attempted to move remaining furniture, records, and life-saving medicines to the new premises. The statement alleges that MLA Doda East, Sh. Mehraj Malik, along with certain individuals, forcibly seized the equipment and drugs, preventing their distribution to the public despite repeated persuasion by medical staff, police, and the local magistrate.

The obstruction reportedly caused a further delay in dispensing emergency medicines to patients who had already been deprived of services for over a week.

In light of the incident, an FIR has been registered at Police Station Gandoh against the MLA and others involved under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Dil Bar Irshad

Dil Bar Irshad is a seasoned journalist, hails from Jammu Kashmir's Doda, covers political, social, business stories, index stories.