SHILLONG: The Jaintia Students Union (JSU) has written to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to utilise the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund for improving healthcare facilities in the mining affected areas of Jaintia Hills to fight COVID-19.
In a statement issued here, the union president Lawyerson War and president of JSU War Jaintia circle, Eddy Kery Pohtam stated that the government should utilize the DMF fund for the creation of primary/secondary health care facilities in the mining affected areas with necessary infrastructure, equipment, staffing and supplies which is one of the scope covered under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana (PMKKKY) in accordance with the District Mineral Foundation Rules 2017.
The union feels that it will help the people in mining areas to have easy access to health facilities at this crucial time.
As to the status of fund utilization and the current state of the DMF, the JSU demanded that the government should immediately provide the required information to the public of Jaintia Hills and the state in view of the virus threat with limited medical preparedness.
“We only pray that no further transmission occurs in the state even after the declaration of East Khasi Hills district as a red zone”, the union stated.
It added that Jaintia Hills currently lack medical facilities at CHCs & PHCs which needs to be addressed by setting up of additional health care facilities under DMF.