ESIC Medical College, RKL - Press Conference Report

A press meeting was organized at Rourkela by Bishnu Mohanty ( Secretary, CITU ) motivated and supported by The OdiSA Development Team ( Odia Samaja USA ) and leading NROs Chitta Baral and Sandip Dasverma.

In today’s Press Meeting apart from representatives from Sambad, Samaj, Dharitri, Khabar, Pioneer, The Telegraph, various representativies from BJD , Congress , CPI , CPI(M) as well as Bar Association of Rourkela , some Civil Society organisation’s representative as well as journalists from other media of Rourkela attended. The memorandum and an exclusive paper on highlighting points ( Carrying out strong reasons why ESIC must be setup at RKL ), prepared by The OdiSA Development Team ( Odia Samaja ) , circulated among the invitees and participants.

Following are the outcomes at the press meet for achieving the goal. The meeting was presided by Muralidhrara Parija ( leading pleader and president Press club of Rourkela)

1. Bishnu Mohanty ( Secretary, CITU ) spoke about the facts and figures for which Rourkela is the best place like out of the total 2.40 lakhs ESIC members from Orissa 1.40 lakhs are from Sundergarh , Keonjhar , Jharsuguda and part of Sambalpur which treat cufficient cause for ESIC at Western Part of Odisha. Out of which a sizable numers are from in and around Rourkela , so Rourkela is the most suitable place for this purpose. Apart from that the fuding provided by ESIC for the said cause are collected from ESIC members contriution. So logically ESIC members in and around Rourkela contributes a significant amount hence it deserves the said Hospital and Medical Collge. Therefore there is no justification for setting up this at Bhubaneswar.

2. Further Anand Mohanty ( President, BJD Roukela ) spoke that he fully supports the issue and promised to persue the issue with state chief minister along with the Rourkela and Raghunathpali MLA as this is a genuine demand for the RKLites .

3. Ex - MLA Prabhat Mohapatra spoke that Congress Party fully support the issue and Shri Hemananda Biswal ( Sudrgarh MP ) has also sent a memoradum recently regarding the same to the Central Authority of ESIC.

4. Gautam B. Das of Sambad and Kanak TV spoke that Media has to play a vital role for the said issue. But not only media but also the people of Rourkela has to be in such a mood by which the state Government compel to have the ESI medical at Rourkela. For this a strong and vibrant movement among the civil society organisations as well as Poliical parties and Trade unions has to be created unanimously. He also told that having mounting pressure on CM of Orissa regarding establishment of BPUT at BBSR the said instituion was established at Rourkela , so with the justified cause and reason why ESI medical college and Hospital would not be at Rourkela. For this Chief Minsiter has to be convinced for the genuine demand through a multi ferus delegates from Rourkela. He also spoke that if the ESI Hospital established at Rourkela not only the helath issues wil be improved but also other multi facility development will take place like road and air network to Rourkela as well as other ifrastructural development would took place in the Sundargarh District as a whole which helps to achieve the developmet goal of Western Orissa.

5. A veteran people and President of RSP retired employees association also support the issue through a multi stage approach in this regard by which employement as well as infrastructure development also take place in and around Roukela

6. Arun Parida ( Hind Mazdoor Sabha and a local ESIC Comitee member ) spoke that as he and his big Trade Union he fully support the cause and in the month of July this year a resolution in this regard is also sent by the Kalunga , Kuanrmuda ESIC local comittee memers. As Rourkela is full of laour and labour related activities , the establishment of ESI Hospital must be at Rourkela.

7. Banamali Dhupal of CPI state comittee spoke that there is sufficient cause for the said case. As sudrgarh is a tribal dominated District and underdeveloped , at least in medical and health spehere the establishment of ESI Hospital will improve the health issue of this region. He also told about multi stage activities like Mass movement invloving all speheres of life as well as multi level activities to achieve the goal with united joint forum of all political parties as well as trade unions with civil society organisations.

8. Noted Journalist and Veteran person A. Biswal and S.K.Chaterjee spoke for the said cause with a mass movement invloving all walk of life.

9. Jahangir Alli of CPI(M) spoke that it is a justified demand at least for the insured members of ESIC where crores of Rupees given by them as membership contribution for ESIC. So if the said Hosiptal do not take place here than through mass agitation workers should stop contribute for ESIC contribution by which they can achieve their goal.

10. Ramesh Bal President, Rourkela Bar Association also support the issue through combine effort and through a single platform by involving people from various sections of society .

Finally , a core comitee has been formed comprising Biman Maity of CITU , Banamali Dhupal , CPI, Ramesh Bal of Rourkela Bar Association , Anad Mohanty , BJD , Pradosh Mohanty of CPI(M) , Murlidhar Parija of Rourkela Press Club , Arun Parida of HMS who were looking after the day to day development of the movement for the said issue along with preparing a joint memorandum to give to CM of Orissa before Dewali by Justifying the demnad for estalishment of the ESI Hospital at Rourkela.The said core comittee will also coordinate with various peoples regarding the strong points by which CM will motivate to change the decision of estbalishment of ESI Hospital at Bhubaneswar.

The press meet was attended and encouraged by a tele-confererence call from NROs like Prashant K Sahoo, CE Odia Samaja USA , Biswaranajan Jena, Dr. Digambara Patra ( Lebanon ) Prof. Chitta Baral and Sandip Dasverma. This group of Odias are keeping a close eye on the day today development and progress of this genuine cause at various levels starting from local people to MLA , MPs and ESIC officials.

With others, Anand Mohanty ( President , BJD Rourkela ) strongly applauded the concern and interest from various Odia living in USA and Lebanon who are also working for the said cause since last couple of weeks consistently.