Widespread resentment among the people of Angul district led them to observe a total bandh on Thursday demanding immediate functioning of the Rs 5,000-crore Mahanadi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (MIMSR) at Talcher and upgradation of the District Headquarters Hospital to a super specialist college and hospital.
Normal life was disrupted across the district with vehicles’ movement including public transportation being stopped, educational institutions and Government offices including the Collectorate and courts being closed. Markets including shopping malls were also closed. Train movements were disrupted due to a ‘rail roko’ at the Angul station.
Various organisations and their leaders including Chamber of Commerce president Ashok Jain, Angul Bar Association president Dilip Das and Athamallik Bar Association president Dinesh Singh extended their support to the bandh called by the Jan Jeevan Suraksha Committee. Political leaders including State Mahila Congress president Sasmita Behera and Angul Municipality Chairman Akshya Samantha also supported the movement.
Jan Jeevan Suraksha Committee convener advocates Pramod Pradhan and Rabindra Prasad Pattanaik expressed their grave concern over the apathetic attitude of both the Central and State Governments in providing better health facilities to the pollution-affected people of Angul district and demanded immediate fulfilment of their just demands.
Notably, the MCl signed an MoU in 2008 with the State Government for managementand operation of the MIMSR. An area of 20 acres was allotted for the project and a budget of nearly Rs 500 crore was also allocated for it. In 2015, the Chief Minister along with the then Union Coal Minister and present Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan laid foundation-stone for the 100-seat medical college.
However now, even after completion of the civil work, the MCl recently informed the State Government it is not willing to manage the medical college. The State Government is also not coming forward to manage the college, as a result of which the fate of the MIMSR is hanging in balance.