Assam: Aminpara Ayushman Arogya Mandir Lies Abandoned in Rowta

A CORRESPONDENT

ORANG: The Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Aminpara in Rowta under Udalguri district stands today as a grim symbol of administrative neglect. Once envisioned as a lifeline for thousands of residents, the health centre has now turned into a deserted structure, locked and overgrown with wild vegetation.

Constructed in 1986 and later brought under the National Health Mission, the centre has remained non-functional for years. A massive lock hangs permanently at its entrance, while bushes and weeds have engulfed the surroundings. Locals allege that despite being located in the heart of the Aminpara area, the facility has never served its intended purpose.

Residents are forced to travel long distances for even basic medical treatment, rushing either to Rowta Model Hospital or Udalguri Civil Hospital for minor ailments. “A hospital exists in our village, yet we get no service. We suffer silently,” lamented a local villager.

The situation has triggered public outrage, with residents urging Assam Health Minister Ashok Singhal and BTC Health Department Executive Member Derhasat Basumatary to intervene urgently and restore healthcare services in the area.

Shockingly, locals claim that staff members, including supervisors and ASHA workers, visit the centre only once a month, merely to complete formalities. “They come once, mark attendance, and leave. There is no treatment, no medicine, nothing,” alleged villagers.

The crisis has been further deepened by serious criminal allegations against the centre’s in-charge Community Health Officer (CHO), Khem Newar. He is accused in a murder case linked to a moral policing incident that took place on March 13, 2025, at Kathalbari village in Rowta. A man named Lalmohan Roy lost his life in the incident, and Newar was named as one of the prime accused.

Following the incident, Newar reportedly remained absconding for nearly six months, evading police action. Since then, he has not returned to the health centre, leaving the facility leaderless and inactive.

With no medical services and no accountability, the Ayushman Arogya Mandir today resembles a haunted structure rather than a healthcare institution. The local community now demands immediate government intervention, appointment of new staff, and revival of essential health services.

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