Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren has said his government is working to extend the air-ambulance service to common people so that they get better treatment in advanced healthcare centres in big cities.
Addressing a function at Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi on Friday during the launch of the state’s maiden air ambulance facility, Soren said: “The government is working in a direction so that not only the rich but also the common masses can benefit from air-ambulance facility during medical emergencies. Whether it is a politician, a government employee or a common citizen, health care should be equal for all. Our aim is to provide emergency healthcare facilities to common citizens of the state.”
“We have learnt our lessons during Covid and we are trying to strengthen the healthcare infrastructure across the state. Still, for several diseases, it is necessary to get treatment in better healthcare centres in bigger cities and that too in a short time.
“The air-ambulance service will cater to such needs. In due course we will be even making helipads across major roads and highways so that the needy, especially victims of road mishaps, can be airlifted through choppers for better treatment in either Jharkhand or outside the state in a quick interval,” Soren added.
He recalled that earlier, people who could afford air ambulances also had to struggle a lot in arranging the services during emergencies.
“There was no such dedicated cell, where air ambulance service could be easily obtained by establishing contact. It could be made available for a state like Jharkhand after a lot of effort by establishing contact with the air ambulance service provider in metros such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai and that too at an exorbitant cost. We have tried to solve such issues and one can simply dial a number or send an email to book an air ambulance and get the service within two hours at an affordable cost,” said Soren.
He said that a state-level cell has been constituted for the air ambulance service by the civil aviation department. Applicants will be informed about the tentative expenditure according to the destination on the phone itself.
After the consent of the applicant, the provision will be made to prepare the air ambulance. The state government has also launched a portal, www.airambulance.jharkhand.gov.in, where one can get all the information and apply for the air ambulance service.
Apart from Ranchi, this service will also be available in Deoghar, Bokaro, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Giridih and Dumka.
Push for mining technology
Secretary of science and technology department, Government of India, S. Chandrasekhar, called upon experts to carry out advanced research in the technologies developed at the Technology Innovation in Exploration and Mining Foundation (TEXMiN) for ensuring its application beyond the initial usage of startups.
Chandrasekhar, who inaugurated the TEXMiN, the mining technology innovation hub of IIT (Indian School of Mines)at Dhanbad, virtually from Delhi, said: “I would advise the experts that the technologies developed here should not remain confined to the usage of start-ups.” Deputy director of IIT(ISM) Dheeraj Kumar said altogether 21 start-ups are working now with TEXMiN as incubators developing one or other innovative technology
Maoist blast kills woman
An elderly woman died of injuries sustained in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast allegedly triggered by the Maoists in a village of Jharkhand’s West Singhbhum district. The 65-year-old, identified as Gangi Surin, was a native of Patahatu village. She had gone to the Jahergada forest area on Friday morning to collect firewood when her legs accidentally fell on an IED planted underground, leading to a blast and her instant death.
West Singhbhum SP Ashutosh Shekhar said steps will be taken to arrange for payment of aid to the deceased woman’s family.
“So far, seven civilians have died and six injured in IED blasts triggered by Maoists this year, while 22 security personnel have sustained injuries in similar blasts,” said Shekhar.
