SRINAGAR: More than 1.5 lakh people have undergone eye screening and 446 surgeries have been performed under ‘Op Drishti’ in Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday, as he called for the initiative to be extended to more remote communities.
Sinha was speaking at the closing ceremony of Phase-II of the Mega Cataract Surgery Camp under the initiative at Chinar Auditorium, Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar.
He said the campaign had taken specialised eye-care services to people in remote and difficult-to-access areas, going beyond the scope of a conventional medical camp.
Sinha highlighted the camp held at Tangdhar in Kupwara, where medical teams operated under difficult conditions marked by mountainous terrain, connectivity constraints and security-related challenges. Despite these difficulties, the teams, along with Army personnel, established an underground operation theatre to conduct surgeries.
The Lieutenant Governor acknowledged the contribution of Brigadier Sanjay Kumar Mishra and other officers and personnel involved in the Tangdhar operation. He said medical equipment and specialised surgical instruments were transported to the border area to enable the procedures.
Residents of adjoining areas also benefited from the medical facilities provided during the Tangdhar camp, he said.
Sinha said the programme’s impact should be assessed not only through the number of screenings and surgeries but also through its effect on the quality of life of beneficiaries. He described the initiative as an effort to restore vision and dignity, saying successful treatment could help restore confidence among patients.
The Lieutenant Governor also credited the Indian Army, doctors, medical professionals, pilots, Air Force personnel, support staff and other stakeholders for the campaign’s implementation.
He said the initiative had also strengthened engagement between the Army and local communities by extending support for public welfare beyond its conventional responsibilities.
Sinha expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and the Army leadership for their support.
He said the completion of the present phase should not bring the initiative to an end and expressed hope that its outreach would be expanded to more villages and remote areas.
According to Sinha, the programme had shown that difficult terrain, distance and logistical constraints could be overcome through medical expertise, institutional coordination and sustained public-service efforts.
