Chandigarh: J&K govt, SLSA step in, airlifting of patients begins

An order issued on Friday stated, “Patients belonging to Leh district who are stranded outside UT Ladakh, who wish to be evacuated to Leh are requested to kindly register their names and their one attendant (contact no) along with relevant medical certificate @ ceclahdc@gmail.com or on WhatsApp @ 9419545733 by 3 pm, April 27, so that UT Administration Ladakh can be requested to facilitate evacuation.”

Liaison officer in Chandigarh, Urgain, said, “The administration has decided to airlift the patients first. There are around 40 Ladakh patients in Chandigarh and I have been told that in the first phase, 13 will be airlifted. These patients are those who had come here for check-up but couldn’t go back. Once the final list comes, we will begin the medical screening and other formalities.”

After The Indian Express published a report Friday about the stranded Ladakh residents, Justice Rajesh Bindal, executive chairman of the J&K State Legal Services Authority, the team stepped in to help the Ladakh students.

Sessions Judge M K Sharma, member secretary J&K SLSA personally spoke to the Ladakh Student Association president Tashi Raftan.

“The SLSA inquired if we had sufficient food or ration. They have told us to make a WhatsApp group and get inputs from every Ladakh citizen if they are short of ration. They have been very cooperative,” said Raftan.

Meanwhile, a Ladakh family based in Chandigarh also came forward to help Mohammad Ali, who had brought his daughter here all the way from Kargil to get her leg operated upon, but got stranded here in a room in Nayagaon after the surgery.

The Indian Express had reported how with meagre ration and no money left, several residents of Ladakh including students are packed like sardines in PG rooms in Chandigarh. Moreover, 40 patients from Ladakh who had come to PGI for treatment of various chronic ailments, are facing a tough time.