COVID-19: JSU demands govt to improve healthcare facilities in mining areas of Jaintia Hills

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 26, 2020

The Jaintia Students Union (JSU) has asked the state government to utilize the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds for improving the healthcare facilities in the mining affected areas of Jaintia Hills to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In a joint memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, JSU central body president Lawyerson War and JSU War Jaintia Circle president Eddy Kery Pohtam also demanded the government to make public the status of fund utilization and the current state of the DMF.

“The government should utilize the DMF fund for the creation of healthcare facilities in the mining affected areas with necessary infrastructure, equipment, staffing and supplies,” they stated in the letter. 

According to them, this is one of scope covered under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) in accordance with the DMF Rules, 2017.

The PMKKKY is a programme launched by the Government of India in September, 2015 to provide for the welfare of areas and people affected by mining related operations. 

“It would greatly help the people in the mining areas to have easy access to healthcare facilities needed at this very crucial time which the state especially Jaintia Hills is currently lacking, if the epidemic crisis gets worsen,” the JSU leaders said. 

Earlier in June last year, the JSU War Jaintia Circle had submitted a letter to the Deputy Commissioner of West Jaintia Hills seeking immediate implementation of the PMKKKY under the DMF fund in the Dolloiship of Nongtalang Elaka but are yet to see any developments so far, they said. 

Stating that the mining lease holders have already contributed the required funds to the DMF, the JSU leaders said, “We demand the government to provide information to the general public on the status of the fund utilization and the current state of the DMF since we are now facing a very real contagious virus threat with limited medical preparedness.”

The JSU further stated that if the government had earlier taken the matter of healthcare improvement seriously “we would now be having a certain level of security as to the ability of the government to contain any possible epidemic or health crisis.”

“We only pray that no further transmission occurs in the state even after the declaration of East Khasi Hills District as a “red zone” which at present is having 11 active cases and 1 death due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the leaders said.

The JSU reiterated that the government should immediately set up additional healthcare facilities through the DMF funds keeping in mind that Jaintia Hills is currently lacking medical facilities at the CHC and PHC level.