Jharkhand govt committed to preserve water, forest and land: Banna Gupta

Water conservation project worth Rs 1.22 cr to be launched in Gamharia, says min

Health Minister, MP Geeta Koda attend public hearing in Seraikela

Mail News Service

Seraikela, Feb 19: State health minister cum Minister-in-charge of Seraikela-Kharsawan 20-Point Committee Banna Gupta chaired a public hearing programme organized at Utkal Mani Adarsh Library Auditorium in Seraikela on Saturday. Singhbhum MP and Congress leader Geeta Koda was also present during the hearing. A total of 52 complaints of the local people were disposed today. Both Gupta and Koda issued instructions to administration officials to take prompt measures to provide relief to the people facing issues with various government departments.

Addressing the gathering, Gupta said Seraikela is the land of Chhau dance form and a cultural centre of the region. He said even the clump of bamboos growing in the wilds of the state possessed music within them and that they made musical sounds when the breeze blows through them. The famous jhoomar dance attracts everyone with its charm and grace, he said, adding further that protecting and preserving water, forest and land was the first priority of the state government.

“Jharkhand government will soon launch an ambitious water conservation project in Gamharia at a cost of Rs 1.22 crore. A directive has been issued to the district forest conservation officer in this connection,” said the minister.

The minister said all local issues would be placed before the state government for discussion and necessary follow-up. He said the issues would also be discussed at the next 20-Point Committee meeting.

Suggestions were made to the minister to take initiative to set up a performing arts centre at Mahanimakuder Deer Park situated on the banks of Kharkai and start a Chhau martial art centre at Bhurkuli Dungri. These measures would help develop Seraikela-Kharsawan as a hub of cultural tourism.

A local journalist, Deepak Kumar Darogha, presented his book ‘Kahani Chhau Ki’ to the health minister. A memorandum was also handed over to Gupta demanding measures to develop the district into a tourism hotspot.

Seraikela residents demand better civic amenities, get minister’s nod

State health minister Banna Gupta met the people including a large number of Congress activists during the public hearing programme organized in Seraikela on Saturday. Local residents gave a six-point memorandum to him demanding prompt measures by the state government to implement their suggestions and demands. The minister assured to fulfill the demands in the due course of time.

The residents demanded deputation of specialist doctors in the local government hospital on a permanent basis. They further demanded installation of state-of-the-art diagnostic machines such as CT scan, ultrasonography and digital x-ray machines.

Other demands raised by the villagers include regular sanitization of public places, proper maintenance of drainage system, supply of clean potable water to all households, arrangement of vehicles for carrying dead bodies to the crematorium and facility of electric furnace and firewood at the local crematorium. Those present on the occasion included district Congress president Chhotrai Kisku, Kailash Mahato, Jawaharlal Mahali, Raj Bagchi, Jalesh Kavi, Sanjeev Kumar Barat, Bhola Mohanty, Sridhar N Singhdeo, Suman Kumar Dheer Samant, Pradip Kumar Kar, Krishna Mahato, Shiva Das and Prakash Raju.