Bandh observed in Odisha to push MCI to start a medical college and a hospital

Normal life was paralysed in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district today in a bandh called to press for Medical Council of India (MCI) nod to start a medical college and hospital here in the 2017-18 academic session.The dawn-to-dusk bandh was by and large peaceful as shops, business establishments, banks, and offices remained closed and vehicular movement came to a grinding halt, police said. The courts in the district remained closed which paralysed judicial activities during the bandh called by the district bar association and supported by political parties like Congress, CPI and CPI-M, police said.

With bus services disrupted due to the bandh, a large number of passengers were stranded at different places. Protesters resorted to road blockade on the NH 18 and 49 which left hundreds of vehicles stranded on the highways, police said

Odisha government has sought the intervention of the Supreme Court-mandated oversight committee following failure to get the LoP from MCI to start the medical college here. "I am drawing your kind attention to the gross injustice done to PRM Uncertainties prevailed over the start of the new Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital here as MCI is yet to give the Letter of Permission (LoP) for the purpose, said Prabir Kumar Basa, President of the District Bar Association.

Medical College and Hospital, Baripada by MCI for not recommending for the issuance of LoP for the commencement of 100 undergraduate intake seat from 2017-18 academic session despite fulfilment of all the mandates," Odisha's health and family welfare secretary P K Meherda said in a letter to Sekhar Kumar, oversight committee secretary. Earlier, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also sought Union Health Minister J P Nadda's intervention. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan too had taken up the matter with Nadda.