Residents of Retinad Koot in Aripal Tral decry lack of basic amenities
Locals raise alarm over absence of road connectivity, health centre, safe drinking water
Pulwama: The residents of Retinad Koot, a remote hamlet in Hajan Aripal area of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, have expressed deep resentment over what they describe as decades of official neglect, saying the village continues to remain deprived of even the most basic civic amenities.
The villagers said that the area lacks all-weather road connectivity, forcing residents—especially the elderly, women and children—to walk long distances on footpaths to reach the nearest road. During winters and rainy seasons, the situation worsens, often cutting the hamlet off completely.
“We are living in isolation. There is no proper road to our village. If someone falls ill, we have to carry the patient on our shoulders for kilometres,” said Abdul Rashid, a local resident. “In emergencies, this delay can be life-threatening.”
Residents said the absence of a health sub-centre has compounded their problems, leaving them entirely dependent on far-off facilities in Tral town. Pregnant women and elderly patients, they said, face immense hardship due to the lack of nearby medical care.
“There is not even a dispensary here. For minor ailments or childbirth, we have to travel far. Many times, we are forced to depend on neighbours or hire private vehicles at high cost,” said another resident, Mohammad Yousuf.
The villagers also complained about the non-availability of potable drinking water, stating that they rely on unsafe natural sources. “We fetch water from springs and streams which dry up or get contaminated. Several families suffer from water-borne diseases, but no sustainable water supply scheme has been provided so far,” said a local woman.
Parents in the area further expressed concern over the absence of an Anganwadi centre, saying young children and lactating mothers are being deprived of essential nutrition and early childhood care. “Our children are missing out on basic nutrition and pre-school education. An Anganwadi is a basic right, but even that has not reached us,” said a group of women residents.
Locals said repeated representations to concerned departments and elected representatives have yielded no results. “We have knocked on every door—block offices, district officials, and public representatives—but our pleas are ignored,” they said.
The residents have now appealed to the district administration and the UT government to take immediate steps to provide road connectivity, establish a health centre, ensure safe drinking water, and set up an Anganwadi facility in Retinad Koot.
“We are not asking for luxuries, only basic facilities that every citizen deserves. Development should reach the last village,” the locals said, warning that continued neglect would further deepen their sense of alienation.
