Reports missing, 47 stuck at quarantine centre

Sumit Hakhoo

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 22

A group of 47 persons, including children, are stuck at the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET), Kot Bhalwal, since May 16 as their reports have allegedly been misplaced at Government Medical College (GMC-Jammu) laboratory.

There are many chronic diabetes patients and children at the centre who were told on their arrival that they would be allowed to meet their families only when their test reports are received.

Narrating their ordeal, Pankaj Sharma, who returned from New Delhi by train on May 16, said, “Our samples were collected at the Jammu railway station. Later our group was shifted to Kot Bhalwal for quarantine with the promise that the test reports would be available in two days. But it’s now seven days. Nobody is saying anything when we will be allowed to shift to our homes.”

The authorities have so far not taken any step to clarify the issue, leaving people angry. There is a lot of resentment about the “apathetic” attitude of the authorities.

When contacted by The Tribune, tehsildar, (Kot Bhalwal), Rafiq Ahmed, said, “The reports have been misplaced at Government Medical College (GMC). I have approached the medical officer concerned to again take samples from people.”

However, the official did not give any specific date when the samples would be collected again and people allowed to meet their families.