Jharsuguda : Normal life was thrown out of gear in industrial town Jharsuguda after a 12-hour Jharsuguda Bandh was called by the members of Jay Bhim Ghasi Samaj outfit demanding up-gradation of the old hospital located at Mangal Bazaar road.
Major establishments like shops, schools, Banks and other business establishments remained closed. Even the passenger buses and other vehicles remained stranded due to this Bandh
The members of the outfit picketed several places like Sonarimunda Chowk, Sarbahal Chowk, Dharmashala Chowk, Station Chowk, Busstand Chowk, Badheimunda Chowk, Kishan Chowk, Bombay Chowk and Prasanna Panda Chowk in the town since morning to press their demands.
The agitators claimed that several local people are facing lots of problems due to the absence of Hospital in their locality following which they have restored to the protest.
They also demanded, immediate up-gradation of the local old District Headquarter Hospital to a full-fledged hospital in order to provide better health services to the local residents.
“They are demanding that old hospital present in Mangal Bazaar has to function as same as District Head Quarter Hospital, which has been shifted to a new building at Malimunda but in a district there is only District Headquarter Hospital. In this context a state level the meeting was held and a decision has been taken that old hospital will be upgraded to 100 bedded hospital under PPP mode and till then it will run as Urban Primary Health Centre (PHC) with all required staff.” said G.B. Mangraj, Executive Magistrate, Jharsuguda District Administration
Jharsuguda Additional S.P. Sushil Kumar Panigrahi said that “We have arrested peoples who had block the State and National Highway and cleared the way and presently we and Executive Magistrate have requested the agitators to clear the Station Chowk.”
