The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Additional Chief Secretary, Public Health Department, to file an affidavit explaining why provision was not made for filling up posts required to run and manage the District General Hospital.
This direction was given in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Satyavrat Narendra Dutta, highlighting the sorry state of affairs in the functioning of the State Health Department.
The court noted that despite the National Health Policy mandating the establishment of a District General Hospital, the hospital had not become operational even after 13 years.
The court also observed that the State Government had approached the High Power Committee for creation of posts only after the PIL was filed, and no appointments had been made till date.
The court expressed concern over the Executive Engineer’s decision to hand over the incomplete hospital building to the Public Health Department, despite major shortfalls being noticed.
The Division Bench of Justice Nitin W Sambre and Justice Vrushali V Joshi directed the Executive Engineer to file a response explaining the reasons behind this decision.