BJP-BJD Rivalry Over Medical College Issue Not To Favour Angul,Talcher People

By SANTOSH MOHANTY

As petty politics over the commencement of Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College and Hospital has begun, Angul district administration in Odisha has clamped section 163 to discourage rallies or protest march in Talcher region. The prohibitory measure has been imposed on the entire stretch starting from Talcher FCI square to Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College and Hospital square, banning protest movements or mass dharna from June 17 to July 16, during which period a high level team from National Medical Commission (NMC) is expected to visit Talcher to oversee the feasibility of its commencement.

The administration's move was necessitated after Talcher Medical College Action Committee had decided to stage a mass protest in front of Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College and Hospital  demanding its early commencement. However, the Action Committee members withdrew their strike after the imposition of section 163.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Rudranarayan Pani has alleged that Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is politicizing the issue to send a confusing message to the people over commencement of Pabitra Mohan Pradhan Medical College and Hospital. Pani said BJD did nothing for early commissioning of the medical college during its tenure and added that the medical project was left to rot for years. The Dhenkanal BJP MP told reporters that his party will fulfill the promise given to the local people for early commencement of the medical college in Talcher.

BJD-BJP Rivalry

Both BJD and BJP treats the medical college project as an opportunity to consolidate their electoral prospects in Talcher region which is an industrial hub in Dhenkanal Parliamentary constituency.  The issue has electoral implications as the BJD candidate lost to BJP's Rudra Narayan Pani in fierce fight in 2024 election. Therefore, BJD has no other way than to play with the sentiments of Talcher people by diluting the issue, political observers said. They said BJD was dilly dallying the medical college project for years and virtually kept the people of Talcher guessing about its commencement. The observers said BJD is trying its best to keep the loyalty base of its voters in Talcher region intact. Ever since BJP wrested power from BJD unseating Naveen Patnaik who had ruled Odisha for 24 years, the saffron party has been rebranding all the projects undertaken by the latter. In the case of medical college project in Talcher, BJP is also trying its best to take full credit for it by implementing the project at the earliest.

As local netas fight over the commencement of the medical college, the aspiring students of the region who have qualified for NEET with good all India rank are equally worried over their career prospects. No body knows when the high level delegation of NMC will oversee the infrastructure and other facilities as no exact date has been announced to the effect. Sources said the district administration is also in the dark about the team's visit. However, there is a possibility that team will visit soon, the sources added. As NEET results are already out and a number of talented students from Angul-Talcher region who have successfully cracked this examination aspriring to take admission into medical degree course, the delay in commencement of their medical college in the region has discouraged them. Knowledgeable sources said that NMC's delay in supervision of infrastructural facilities will impact on the admission prospects in the academic year.      

The medical college and hospital has been named after the freedom fighter Pabitra Mohan Pradhan of Talcher. The sooner the medical college is commissioned, the better it will be for the people of Angul-Talcher industrial area who are exposed to air and water pollution. People will not have to make a beeline for hospitals in cities like Cuttack and Bhubaneswar for treatment.