Deadline over, no sign of polyclinic

CHANDIGARH: About 20,000 ex-servicemen settled in Mohali district are yet to see any sign of polyclinic in the city, which was promised to be set up for them by the defence authorities in December 2010 under the Ex-servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS).
About 900 ex-soldiers have to visit Chandigarh-based ECHS centre for treatment and for other formalities.
In July 2010, authorities had made a decision in a seminar held at western command to start new polyclinic under ECHS scheme. The deadline to start the polyclinic was fixed for December 2010.
President of ex-servicemen grievance cell Lt Col (retd) S S Sohi said, ''Thousands of ex-servicemen of the district are being unnecessarily harassed due to irresponsible attitude of the authorities. Retired soldiers have to make repeated rounds to Chandigarh even for minor formalities.'' He further said that the delay had not only led to mental harassment but had also multiplied work at Sector-29 ECHS polyclinic.
Launched in 2003, ECHS was established to provide quality medicare to Armed Forces Veterans (AFV) and the dependents through a network of ECHS polyclinics, service medical facilities and civil empanelled/ government hospitals across the country.