The hospital, when completed, will benefit several thousand patients in the five districts of Garo Hills who otherwise have to depend on the state capital Shillong and Assam’s Guwahati city for specialized medical treatment for eye diseases.
The hospital is due to come up on a plot of land at Dakopgre locality of the town which was handed over to the Lions Club of Tura by the district administration.
“Its been a long cherished dream and we are extremely happy that today the foundation stone has been laid for this philanthropic project,” said Kamal Agarwala, president of the Lions Club of Tura.
The foundation stone was laid by the past district governor of undivided Siliguri Lions Club, Gopal Chaudhuri who informed those gathered that there would be no constraint for funds for the noble gesture.
“Money would not be a constraint for the project. It will be on the will of each one of us to make this dream a reality. This is the beginning for all of us” said Chaudhuri.
Appreciating the role played by many citizens of Garo Hills who gave a helping hand for the project, senior Lions Club member and regional coordinator of Tura Abhijit Das said, “Everyone came forward to give a helping hand for this dream project. Our aim is to complete the building and start full-fledged operations within the next two years.”
He added that Lions Club of Tura would work in close tandem with its head office for initial support for the project and gradually get everyone involved in this noble gesture.
Lions Club of Tura has decided to begin screening of patients with eye problems as soon as possible and while the construction works take place, screening would go ahead and cases referred to Guwahati until the eye hospital at Tura begins to function.
The club has given a welcome call for eye specialists from the region to be a part of the project.
“We would love to have doctors from the region become a part of the idea as we want the utilization of local talent for this good cause. We have a dearth of locals and this should be an ideal opportunity for them to serve the region,” said Agarwala.
The foundation stone laying ceremony was attended by other social and NGO groups of Tura including the Rotary Club of Tura and members of the Lions Club districts from Guwahati and Siliguri.
Source: The Shillong Times
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