Suhail Rather

BANDIPORA, OCTOBER 22: The night-time eviction of a drug de-addiction centre and an adjoining old age home in north Kashmir’s Bandipora has triggered concerns over the sudden displacement of patients, elderly residents and staff, with the closure disrupting services at both facilities.

The eviction reportedly took place at night, when officials arrived at the premises, broke locks, and removed equipment, furniture, and personal belongings. Staff members alleged that they were not informed in advance, while elderly residents said they were asked to leave without adequate arrangements for their accommodation.

Ghulam Mohammad, an elderly resident who had been living at the old age home for around three years, said he was having dinner when he was asked to vacate the premises immediately.

“I was having dinner when some men came and told me to leave the premises immediately. They didn't even let me finish my meal before forcing me out,” he said.

Medical Officer Dr Anjum, associated with the de-addiction centre, also expressed concern over the manner in which the eviction was carried out, alleging that neither the staff nor the centre's representatives had been informed beforehand.

“It was a sudden action and no member of the centre was kept in the loop,” she said, describing the operation as resembling a robbery.

She acknowledged that the health department might have a claim over the building but maintained that the premises should have been reclaimed through due legal procedure.

The closure has disrupted services at the de-addiction centre, which has around 1,400 registered patients. According to Dr Anjum, patients who arrived for scheduled outpatient treatment the following morning found the facility locked and had to leave without receiving services.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

“There is no place to stay put, nor has any information been shared with us,” she said, adding that staff members were trying to secure an alternative location to resume operations.

Both facilities are run by a local non-governmental organisation with funding from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment and operate locally under the Social Welfare Department. The buildings, however, belong to separate government departments.

The de-addiction centre functioned from premises belonging to the health department, while the old age home was operating from a Municipal Committee building. The old age home was inaugurated in October 2022, followed by the de-addiction centre in February 2023.

An official of the Municipal Committee Bandipora said the old age home was vacated over non-payment of rent. According to the official, the premises had initially been allotted as temporary accommodation, with rent fixed at Rs 17,000 per month, but the dues had allegedly remained unpaid.

Block Medical Officer Bandipora Dr Tahir Malik also confirmed that the health department was taking back the premises, which had earlier housed the district hospital. He said government procedure had been followed and declined to discuss further details, citing the matter as sub judice.

Meanwhile, the sudden closure has left staff members searching for alternative accommodation and arrangements to restore services, while concerns remain over the continuity of treatment for patients and the immediate shelter needs of elderly residents.

The developments have raised questions about the arrangements made for vulnerable patients and senior citizens before the eviction, as well as the steps being taken to ensure that essential services are not interrupted.