SAMBALPUR: Former minister and district BJD president Rohit Pujari on Monday criticised the decision to establish an Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) medical college in Bhubaneswar and accused the state government of neglecting western Odisha.
Addressing mediapersons here, Pujari said, “Industrial districts such as Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh should have been given priority. The industrial and mining backbone of Odisha lies in western districts, not in the capital region. Yet, western Odisha has been overlooked once again.”
He further said labourers engaged in industries, mines, thermal plants and construction sectors in western Odisha are among the primary contributors to the ESI fund. Despite this, they are deprived of essential healthcare infrastructure. “Our region bears the health burden of industrialisation, but the benefits of advanced medical facilities continue to be concentrated elsewhere,” he alleged.
Pujari clarified that he was not opposing the establishment of an ESI medical college in the state capital. “We are not against Bhubaneswar. But priority must be given to regions that contribute the most to the ESI fund and face greater occupational health risks. If Pune and Nagpur can have separate ESI medical colleges, there is no reason Odisha cannot have more than one such facility,” he added.
He said the decision has once again exposed the state government’s step-motherly attitude towards western Odisha. The government should immediately review the decision in the interest of equity, justice and labour welfare. “If this justified demand is ignored, people of western Odisha will be forced to resort to protests in the coming days,” he warned.