Injured Munda discharging duties from bed
Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda may be physically injured but he is mentally active.He sustained injuries after the chopper carrying him crashlanded at Birsa Munda airport in Ranchi May 9.
Munda suffered injuries in his spine, hand and legs. There is a minor fracture in his spine and he has to lie flat on the bed. His left hand and right ankle are in plaster.
The accident has not deterred Munda from discharging his work as ususal. He started seeing files from the third day.
"The chief minister is disposing off routine files and actively keeping track of development work. Cabinet meetings are also conducted as usual and he (Munda) is participating in several meetings through video conferencing.
There is absolutely no delay in file work and other work which should take place at the chief minister's level," said Munda's principal secretary, D.K. Tiwari, told IANS.
A meeting of the Greater Ranchi Development Authority meeting has been convened at 11 a.m. Tuesday and the cabinet will convene at 11.30 a.m.
Munda is keeping track on power, road and other department works. He summoned V.K. Verma, chairperson of Jharkhand State Electricity Board (JSEB), last week and directed him to ensure uninterrupted power to the people of the state. He also took stock of the condition of thermal power plants and he was apprised about demand and supply of power.
Munda also reviewed road and construction department work Sunday and directed the officials to meet the deadlines of the time set for the construction of different roads. Munda also gave his approval for the compulsory retirement of 10 judicial officials last week.
According to an official of the chief minister's house, Munda meets people everyday. According to sources in the BJP, he is also keeping track of the Hatia by-poll scheduled for June 12.
Besides social and political work, Munda is writing poems and a book on the accident.
It's a miracle that anyone survived the May 9 crash. The pilot of the chopper, B.K. Singh while talking to reporters after the incident, had said: "Very few people survive such crashes." Singh had appreciated Munda for his calmness and boldness when the chopper was in the air and he was informed that there was a problem.
The chopper carrying Munda, his wife, Meera Munda, BJP legislator Barkuwar Gagrai and security officer Manoj Singh took off from Ranchi airport May 9 but it could not land at Seraikela-Kharsawa due to a technical problem. The pilot then turned back to Ranchi, where the helicopter crashlanded.
Both the injured pilots, at Munda's initiative, were sent to AIIMS in New Delhi by an air ambulance for better treatment. They had also suffered spinal injuries.
According to doctors, Munda should take rest for at least one month.
