Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leaders and Lok Sabha MPs Pratap Sarangi and Jual Oram on Thursday wrote to CM Naveen Patnaik urging him to send proposal to the Union Ministry of Defence for a COVID Care Hospital at Balasore and Sundergarh by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
In the letter, Union Minister Sarangi requested Patnaik to send proposal to set up a COVID care Hospital with Oxygen beds and ICU beds by DRDO at Balasore in larger public interest.
“I would like to bring to your kind notice that the DRDO, Ministry of Defence, Govt. of India has been contributing significantly to augment the national efforts to fight the COVID surge by way of establishing COVID Hospitals in several parts of the Country. The DRDO has made makeshift hospitals with the ICU beds, oxygen beds and normal beds for COVID patients in consultation with the state health authorities. DRDO may consider any new proposal to set up a COVID care facility provided the concerned State Government recommends the same with commitment to provide basic needs for setting up of such facility,” he wrote.
“As you are aware, Balasore, with its famed Integrated Test Range (ITR) is a major hub of DRDO and over the years, it has acquired a seamless interface with the civilian population of the area. During the hours of need, the DRDO has always stood for the well-being of the people of Balasore. Besides, Balasore has been witnessing significant rise in COVID cases during the current wave and its geographical location as a border district has contributed to its growing vulnerabilities. As such, due to absence of critical COVID care facility at Balasore, the patients are being taken to Bhubaneswar/ Cuttack, thus putting further pressure on the existing COVID care facility,” Sarangi stated.
“In view of above, I request your good self to kindly have a proposal sent from the State Government to the Ministry of Defence with the recommendation to set up a COVID care Hospital with Oxygen beds and ICU beds by DRDO at Balasore in larger public interest,” the letter read.
Similarly, Sundergarh MP Jual Oram wrote to Patnaik requesting him to send proposal to the Union Ministry to set up two Covid care hospitals in Sundergarh and Rourkela.
“I am given to understand that the DRDO had set up some few temporary COVID Hospitals at some places and some more COVID Hospitals are going to be set up shortly. It is also learnt that the DRDO will be setting up 500 Medical Oxygen Plants (MOPs) across the country within three months under the PM CARES ,PrIme Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations) Fund, the letter read.
“I would like that two projects at the below mentioned places may kindly be taken up in my Sundergarh Parliamentary Constituency of Odisha as Sundergarh is one of the worst affected areas of Odisha - The Covid care facility can be set up at NTPC Medical College and Hospital in Sundergarh with I00 ICU Beds and one Medical Oxygen Plant and IGH Super Speciality Hospital in Rourkela with 200 ICU beds,” the letter stated.