Medical varsity an urgent need in Odisha
Without ensuring high standards of education in the existing medical colleges and hospitals (MCHs), the upcoming Puri and Keonjhar MCHs and three others in PPP mode at Sundargarh, Kalahandi and Talcher are not going to meet the Government’s much proclaimed “best quality health for all in Odisha”. It is turning out to be more a hype than having any real substance. In its overdrive to establish new medical colleges and extend advanced healthcare as well as augment doctor’s strength, the State Government seems to have closed its eyes on the most vital aspects of ensuring high standards of medical education. The prime reason is attributed to non implementation of a proposal received way back in early 2000s for an Odisha University of Health Sciences (OUHS) to which all these colleges could have been affiliated. Now that the medical colleges are affiliated to their nearest universities, the disparity has cast a shadow over efforts for achieving high standards of medical education and consequently better healthcare service delivery in the State. Besides the Government medical colleges, there are two private medical colleges and two dental colleges, one of them being a Government owned, and several nursing colleges which must be controlled by one authority to maintain uniform syllabi, academic calendar, examination process and publication of results. Why medical education did not come in the purview of BPUT established in 2002 is aquestion that haunts the educationists of the State.
C’garh hides truth over water sharing
Chhattisgarh didn’t release a drop of water from Kalma barrage of the Mahanadi, Kalo dam of Kalo river and Ib river barrage in April and May this year forcing the Odisha Government to react strongly. It launched Save- Mahanadi campaign and the Chhattisgarh Government had to be on back foot after having censured by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). During monsoon, the Chhattisgarh is setting up gauge stations in the Mahanadi, the Kalo and the Ib river to share the outflow data with the Odisha Government and hide its weaknesses. Now the question arises is whether the neighbouring Government will provide such data even during non monsoon periodIJ One Patel Engineering of Hyderabad was given the contract for the Kalma barrage in the year 2011. Apprehending protest from Odisha, the construction schedule was limited to a two-year period. But the Patel Engineering could not complete the project on time and construction was completed only in 2016 after getting a series of extensions. Why the Government of Odisha was a silent onlooker in all these years and why there was no protest by the Odisha Government thenIJ The Chhattisgarh Government took advantage of this silence; but after coming under pressure from various quarters, it admits of releasing water into the Mahanadi by opening the Kalma barrage gate. But, what about the six small barrages on the upstreamIJ If these gates are closed, then how does Mahanadi benefitIJ
R’kela Smart City project: Challenges galore
From the Smart City point of view, Rourkela has many challenges. The city, excluded from its jurisdiction, is a demographic paradox as around 1.5 lakh population are likely to be deprived of the advantages which the Smart City will bring out. Transfer of land by the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) to the State Government has always remained a problem and when the RSP owned air strip is not officially transferred either to the State Government or to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the UDAN scheme of the Government has been missing several deadlines. On an overall context, the airport is not included in the Smart City proposal. Sans airport facility, how come a city becomes smart is a million dollar question. The 24x7 power supply, an intelligent traffic management system with CCTV cameras in all junctions, smart schools, beautification of Brahmani river front on both sides, Birsa Munda stadium, Biju Patnaik indoor stadium at Panposh and many such land marks will soon have the Smart City tag. The modernisation of drainage and sewerage system and segregation of biodegradable waste for recycling purpose are a challenge before Rourkela administration to become a Smart City in its real sense of the term. Besides the green and brown area development, which needs to be handled separately, there are several grey areas which need close attent Bisra Chowk, construction of smart road from Panposh to Ambedkar Chowk are in the pipeline.
NTPC contract termination row in K’handi
By terminating the Rs 200-crore rural electrification contract for Kandhamal district, the NTPC has forayed into a faceoff with the Odisha Small Industries Corporation (OSIC), a State public sector unit. Termination of the time bound contract ahead of the schedule has created a furor in the Works Department of the State which may lead to yet another bout of Centre – State clash. Surprisingly, the NTPC stood firm in its decision to terminate the contract despite letters written to the Energy Secretary by Kandhamal MP and Odisha’s MSME Minister Prafulla Samal with copies to CMD Gurdip Singh and Director BRM Panda of NTPC. The sub-contractors concerned have upped their ante for restoration of the contract demanding full payment of the work completed so far by the OSIC. The MSME units of Odisha engaged as sub-contractors had piled up huge quantity of materials to complete the work but all of them are now left in the lurch following this whimsical decision of the Central public sector unit. Without site visits to check progress of work, termination of the contract smacks of a quid pro quo affair with the FEDCO which replaced the OSIC. A probe into this deal may lead to astounding facts and unmask those who are involved in the deal.