A delegation of senior citizens of Sindri on Wednesday met Dhanbad DC Uma Shankar Singh, demanding a host of services, including the launching of an OPD facility and resumption of bus operations among others.
Comprising former employees of the Fertilizer Corporation of India factory at Sindri, the delegation led by Sewa Singh (73), also demanded ambulance service in the town and the deputation of a local doctor at the Additional Community Health Centre.
“The DC assured to solve our issues by constituting a committee to look after the problems faced by the Sindri residents. The meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere,” Swea Singh told The Telegraph Online.
Giving more details about the issues, another member DN Singh (72) said, “Due to lack of any government or private hospital in Sindri, more than one lakh residents are compelled to visit Dhanbad for treatment.”
In November last year, the medical officer-in-charge of Jharia took some initiatives to launch a 24x7 OPD facility at the Additional CHC building in Sindri with the help of industrial bodies. However, that operation is yet to begin.
“Sindri had one of the best medical facilities till 2001 when the FCI factory was still operational. But after its closure, the hospital shut down as well,” DN Singh noted.
Sewa Singh also said that the representatives wanted a resumption of the city bus services, which have been disrupted due to the lockdown. “The disruption causes difficulties for Sindri residents to reach the district headquarters, which is 30 kilometres away. We have to undertake uncomfortable auto-rickshaw journeys. The fares are exorbitant too,” the former Public Relation Officer of FCI Sindri said.
“Due to the suspension of passenger train service between Sindri and Dhanbad since March last year the residents are facing a lot of difficulties. The worst victims are senior citizens like us as we can neither afford to carry out the long journey in auto-rickshaws, nor we can pay the exorbitant fares charged by the operators,” DN Singh complained.
