The demand for bringing the proposed ESIC Medical College and Super Specialty Hospital to the Steel City is growing stronger by the day.
In a meeting of the Joint Action Committee of the ESIC Medical College held here on Saturday, it was unanimously decided to stage a dharna on November 25 at Bisra Chowk here and to cease work through picketing and demonstration in all the offices and industries of the district on November 30 to put pressure on both the State and Centre to change the venue decision for the proposed project.
After the decision to establish an ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Odisha was taken by the Centre in 2009, the general perception was that the venue would be decided on the basis of number of insured persons (IPs) and Rourkela is on the top of the list on this front. The labour Standing Committee of the Parliament had also recommended Rourkela as the venue.
But surprisingly, the State Government unilaterally proposed Bhubaneswar as the project venue. However, due to opposition by the JAC, the foundation stone-laying programme was called off at the last moment.
A month before, slamming the decision, the JAC had locked two dispensaries and one regional office of the ESI here.
In the meeting, it was also decided that a delegation of JAC, led by Sundargarh MP Hemanand Biswal, will meet the Prime Minister to apprise him of the facts and figures.
The next course of action will be decided on November 30 involving political parties, trade unions and social organisations of the district, sources said.