PONDA, March 23 -- Team Herald

Collem locals have urged the government to complete the long-delayed upgradation of the rural health centre, which has been under construction for the past six years.

Residents blasted the authroities for the indifferent attitude towards ailing patients and senior citizens who they said had to travel to distant places to seek treatment.

Vasudev Ganjekar, a local resident recalled that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had promised last year that the project would be completed within three months. However, one year has passed, and there has been no significant progress. "Even for minor health issues, we are forced to travel 30 km to Pilem, Tisk-Usgao Hospital," he said.

According to the residents, the rural me...