The festival of diyas is going to usher in new light in the lives of thousands of Bokaro residents battling eye aliments.

The district will get its first exclusive government-run eye care centre on Diwali (November 11), the facility having come up at sadar hospital located right next to NH-23, barely 100 metres from the deputy commissioner's office.

The 40-bed unit has been set up on the second floor of the hospital while the operating theatre, equipped with all sophisticated equipment, is on the first floor. A fund of Rs 1.40 crore has been used to purchase the medical tools while more than Rs 15 lakh has been spent on medicines.

While treatment at the eye facility will not be completely free, patients will be entitled to concessions.

"Finishing touches are being given to the eye hospital and we are ready to gift it to the people of Bokaro on Diwali. The district hitherto did not have any specialised government eye hospital with best ophthalmologists on duty round the clock," deputy superintendent of Bokaro Sadar Hospital Arjun Prasad told The Telegraph.

"Once this facility opens doors, patients suffering from glaucoma, cataract and other eye-related diseases will not have to go to private clinics or outside the city to get treated. All modern, sophisticated facilities will be available here under one roof," he added.

Prasad said at present, a cataract surgery cost around Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 at private clinics, but the rate would be far lower at the state-run unit.

According to leading eye surgeon Dr Srinath, posted at the sadar hospital, more than 60 varieties of medicines had already been procured or would reach the hospital in the next few days.

"We wanted to have adequate provisions so that eye operations could start soon after the new unit opened doors. Our facility will indeed be one of the most sophisticated eye hospitals of the state," the doctor added.

There is also good news for the residents of Chas township in Bokaro.

At a meeting held by town commissioner Sandip Kumar with Chas Municipal Corporation's ward councillors and others on Thursday, it was decided that three raen baseras (night shelters) of 200 beds each will be built for the homeless. These proposed shelters at Telgaria More, Manjhidih and ITI More will be open to rickshaw-pullers, elderly people with no family and the destitute.

"Officials concerned have been asked to prepare a blueprint for the night shelters, which ought to be built in the next six months," Kumar said.

Social welfare officer Vandana Shejwalkar was also present at the meeting.