Biren Singh visits victims of road mishap

Our Correspondent
Imphal, March 29: Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh today said steps are on to start helicopter service to serve as a blessing for people living in remote peripheral areas with little accessibility top healthcare Centres.
Chief Minister Biren was speaking to reporters while visiting the injured persons of March 27 tragic road accidents that are presently undergoing treatment at RIMS hospital in Imphal around 3.30 this afternoon.
“We’re planning to initiate a helicopter service (to address the grievances of the people living in far flung areas),” Biren said while reacting to question of unavailability proper healthcare facilities at remote areas of the state.
On Tuesday, Biren discussed a wide range of issues related including initiative of starting an “Air-dispensary-cum-ambulance” helicopter service with the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) MoS PMO, Personnel, public grievances, pensions, Atomic energy and space Dr Jitendra Singh in New Delhi.The initial one-to-one meeting between the Chief Minister and the DoNER Minister was followed by a joint meeting in which officers from the State Government and the DoNER Ministry also participated. One of the important issues that came up during the discussion was setting up of Sports University near Imphal which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi nearly two years ago, but had got delayed on account of certain procedural and land acquisition issues on the part of the State Government. It was decided that with the cognizance of the Sports Ministry, the project will soon be put on fast-track.
Dr Jitendra Singh told the Chief Minister that the Ministry of DoNER, through its NLCPR (Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources) Fund, will donate Rs.48 crore for fitting flood lights for the Hockey Stadium in Khuman-Lampak Sports Complex.
The Air dispensary will have the provision of a Specialist doctor with necessary facilities to hold OPD in different Panchayat areas and also transport the sick patients to the required hospital by the same helicopter, source said.
“Besides the government will extend all possible help to the victims of unfortunate incidents,” he added while visiting the injured persons presently undergoing treatment at four hospitals here. Presently around 33 persons including some in intensive care units are undergoing treatment.
Chief Minister Biren who was accompanied by PWD and power Minister Th Biswajit, Additional Secretary (Home) Dr Suresh Babu, DGP Manipur LM Khaute led senior police officials, also distributed a sum of Rs 50,000 as a relief to the seriously injured persons while Rs 30,000 to persons with simple injuries.
Twenty three persons were lost their lives while 35 others sustained serious injury during three different road accidents took place along the Manipur sector of the two National Highways 2 and 37 on March 27.Earlier the government had announced ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakhs each to the next kin of the deceased persons besides other relief for the injured ones.