Keonjhar: The Joint Action Committee (JAC), a forum of several local outfits in Keonjhar, expressed serious doubts over execution of the ambitious government medical college project in the district. They pointed out that the project seems impossible without a gazette notification by the government.
The forum warned of an agitation over the issue of the medical college. The JAC took up the issue with the ADM Thursday while construction work of the medical college was initiated in January at Brahman Gan.
Its members alleged that the government has no gazette notification, but started the work. They expressed unhappiness, pointing out that the government has not provided funds but allocated `384 crore from the District Mineral Foundation fund.
They said as the medical college is built with DMF funds, it should be named after DMF. The government should allocate funds for the medical college like other medical colleges in some districts.
The JAC had earlier made a written complaint before the collector. The JAC members later met ADM Bhakta Charan Pradhan (in-charge Collector). During the discussion with the ADM, the JAC members pointed out that the government had not allocated a single pie for the medical college while a tender of `384 crore has been floated for its construction work.
At the meeting, the JAC raised several other demands like establishment of a mega steel plant in the district, protection of river Baitarani, rail connectivity between Champua and Anandapur, unitary status to DD Autonomous College and an agriculture university at Keonjhar.
The ADM assured the JAC members that steps would be taken to look into the demands after new collector joins here.
The JAC members like former MLA Mohan Chanran Majhi, municipality chairperson (in-charge) Saroj Sahu and others Girja Mishra, Kiranbala Nayak, Dillip Panda, Satyajit Mishra and Pabitra Behera warned of an agitation over the issue if the government fails to come out with a gazette notification on the medical college issue.
PNN
