Blames political interference for delays
Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 8: Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy has raised a serious concern over the growing water crisis at the newly constructed MGM Hospital and Medical College building in Dimna, warning that if alternative arrangements were not made by December, both the hospital and college could face an acute shortage of water.
In a detailed statement issued on Friday, Roy said that the hospital’s water demand has increased significantly following the expansion of the medical college and the addition of new residential and hostel facilities. However, the five deep bore-wells installed on the hospital campus were no longer sufficient to meet daily needs. The project to draw water from the Swarnarekha River, which was approved to ensure a stable supply, was progressing at a “worryingly slow pace,” he added.
Roy said that after speaking with the hospital Superintendent and medical college Principal, it was clear that water scarcity could disrupt essential services if the situation was not addressed soon. He attributed the crisis to political interference and administrative negligence, stating that development projects meant for public welfare often suffered when politics took precedence over planning.
According to Roy, during the previous Assembly elections, the then Health Minister Banna Gupta had hurriedly organized a partial inauguration of the new MGM Hospital building to gain political mileage, allegedly keeping Chief Minister Hemant Soren unaware of the incomplete status of the project. “At that time, neither the building had been formally transferred nor were the basic facilities like water connections in place. Yet, an announcement was made to shift several OPDs to the new building for political benefit,” Roy remarked.
He said that senior officials of the Health Department, instead of informing the Chief Minister about the ground realities, succumbed to ministerial pressure and moved the hospital from the old premises to the new one without ensuring readiness. “This kind of administrative subservience to political interests has brought MGM Hospital to its current crisis,” Roy asserted.
Roy also criticized the decision to rely solely on bore-wells, stating that it was both environmentally unsound and practically unsustainable. He said that despite warnings from him and several experts at the time, five bore-wells were installed under the instruction of the former Minister, ignoring environmental restrictions. “A hospital of this magnitude cannot depend on bore-well water,” he reiterated.
With the groundwater level expected to decline after December, Roy warned that the deep borings would start to fail, exacerbating the crisis. This could not only affect hospital operations but also deplete groundwater in nearby residential areas, leading to a drinking water shortage in the locality.
He expressed concern that once again, the MGM Hospital management might pressure the district administration to draw water from the MGM water tank, which was already insufficient for the city’s public supply. “This tank is not even meeting the needs of local consumers. Diverting this water to the hospital will only worsen the public water situation,” Roy cautioned.
To resolve the issue, Roy suggested a practical and sustainable alternative drawing water from the pipeline that carried water from Tata Steel’s Dimna Lake to Jamshedpur. He urged the Health Department Secretary to hold discussions with Tata Steel management to ensure that MGM Hospital received a dedicated supply through this network and the ongoing water treatment plant project.
Roy concluded by emphasizing that without decisive administrative coordination and political will, “the MGM Hospital project meant to improve healthcare in Kolhan will continue to suffer from the same neglect that has plagued it since its inception.” (w/gsd)
