SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Dec 14: Para-medical students of Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) in Dhanbad will soon receive hostel allotment, as assured by Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari. This assurance came after a meeting with a delegation from the Jharkhand Para-Medical Staff Association in Ranchi on Saturday.
The hostel for para-medical students at SNMMCH has been ready since 2017, but its allotment has been delayed due to an ongoing issue with the electricity supply. Although the hostel building has been completed, the power connection has not been provided yet.
Minister’s assurance
“Health Minister not only assured us of hostel allotment but also informed that the government would recruit para-medical staff soon,” said Raju Mahto, secretary of the Jharkhand Para-Medical Staff Association.
The delegation also met Seema Udaypuri, the joint secretary of the health department, and submitted a memorandum to her. She informed the delegation that the grant for the power connection to the hostel had been released and that the allotment would happen soon.
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Electricity connection delay and student protests
A senior official at SNMMCH admitted that Rs 12 lakh had been allocated for a new power connection, but work was delayed due to the Model Code of Conduct in light of the assembly elections.
Para-medical students have been protesting for hostel accommodation for a long time. On September 29, 2022, the then Additional Chief Secretary of Health, Arun Kumar Singh, visited SNMMCH and assured students that the electricity issue would be resolved, and the hostel would be allotted, but the promise was not fulfilled.
In January of this year, para-medical students, who were staying in rented houses to attend classes, broke the hostel lock and shifted into the building. However, they vacated the hostel later that evening.
Memorandum for Para-Medical Safety Act
“We have also submitted a memorandum to the Principal Secretary of Health for the Para-Medical Safety Act,” said Raju Mahto.
The delegation included President Rambriksha Mahto, Ujjwal Kumar Sah, Vipin Kumar, Sandip Kumar, Kanto Chandra Soren, Shubham Kumar Sinha, Dilip Kumar, and Shashi Kumar.
