The going back on the commitment to provide one digital X Ray plant with printer by one coal mining company here in Palamu drew displeasure in the Wednesday meeting of the Palamu district mineral foundation trust held under the chairmanship of DC Palamu Shantanu Kumar Agrahari in his collectorate chamber.
Sanjay Singh vice chairman of Palamu zila parishad and member of this mineral foundation trust here said, “Kathoutiya coal mines had earlier promised to give one digital X ray plant with printer to the Red Cross Society, which in Wednesday meeting began to show its cold feet saying the budget of both will cost them Rs 12 lakh.”
Singh said, “This amount is no big to any large scale coal mining company and to retreat from the commitment is the most shameful thing. I believe our DC will bring this company to its senses.” He said coal mining companies are duty bound to render community services.
Singh said, “This issue is most vital but I am too pained to say that none of the embers attending this mineral foundation trust meeting including our esteemed Chhaterpur BJP MLA Radha Krishan Kishore jee found time to pull up this mining company from going back on its word.”
The district mineral foundation trust meeting was attended by people’s representatives including pramukh and deputy pramukh besides district mining officer M Toppo and others.
Singh said, “With the fund of the mineral foundation trust Palamu administration is planning to have a mobile van specially for blood collection to be done in those areas where people want to donate blood but get no back up for it. This van will be reaching out to them and will collect blood by way of donation.”
He said with fund from mineral foundation trust 20 Anganwadi centres will get a facelift by way of making them children friendly where will be kept toys for children. He said there will be joy ride for them and other modes of spending time at these centres.
Member secretary of this mineral foundation trust Bindu Madhav Prasad Singh who is DDC Palamu said this trust has with it 15 crores of rupees from royalty which is to be spent on rural water supply, aagan badi kendras and rural health care too.
He said 54 villages fall under the impact of the mining and here welfare measures are to be taken as it has been found such villages across mining are dominated by SC and ST population and poverty stalks everywhere.
Sanjay Singh however maintained that for rural water supply that is to be a piped one and with solar energy back up the drinking water & sanitation department has not much time left. He said 23 such schemes out of 54 villages have been sanctioned.
Palamu district mining officer M Toppo who was contacted on phone to give the finer point of this mineral foundation trust meeting refused to say any word asking this correspondent to speak to the member secretary of this trust.