For Medical College, Bandh on

The New Indian Express (Bhubaneswar), Aug 28, 2015

BHAWANIPATNA:The 48-hour Kalahandi bandh, called by Kalahandi Medical College Kriyanusthan Committee demanding Government take-over of the Sardar Rajas Medical College at Jaring, threw normal life out of gear on Thursday.

Members of Kalahandi Merchants Association, Truck Owners, Auto and Bar Associations extended their support to the bandh call besides members of all political parties. All the business establishments remained closed while vehicular traffic came to a grinding halt.

The bandh was total in Junagarh, Kesinga, Dharamgarh, Kalampur and Jaipatna. Work was also hit in Government offices and courts. On Monday, the committee members had met the Chief Minister at Bhubaneswar demanding Government take-over of the medical college and hospital in larger public interest. Not satisfied with the talks, they called for the bandh. This year, apparently, the MCI did not give permission for admission to the medical college for 2015-16 academic session owing to several shortcomings. Set up by Tamil Nadu-based Selvam Education and Charitable Trust at Jaring in Kalahandi district, the medical college has no adequate faculty and infrastructure and the hospital functions with skeletal staff.

The MCI had approved 100 seats for the medical college for 2013-14 academic session on the condition that it would meet infrastructure and staff requirement. Accordingly, medical college went ahead with the admission.

 Last year, the MCI barred admission to the medical college as infrastructure was not upgraded nor staff strength increased. The situation is the same this year too.