TELANGANA HIGH COURT FLOODED WITH PILs ON CORONA ISSUE

Telangana

From Our Bureau

21st July 2020

As many as 87 Public Interest Litigations (PILs) have been filed in the Telangana High Court on the Corona issue. Due to the daily hearings, the medical and health officials are facing hardships, according to a statement from the Telangana government.

The issue came up for discussion during the review meeting convened by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday. Medical and Health Minister Etela Rajender, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Medical and Health) Syed Murtuza Rizvi, Principal Secretary (Finance)  Ramakrishna Rao, several heads of medical departments and others attended.

The meeting was informed about the PILs being filed in the High Court on the Corona issue and comments passed by the High Court in this regard. The officials recalled that the High Court expressed its anger despite the fact that the government and medical staff are working with commitment and taking all measures to contain the virus, conduct the tests and treat the patients.

“On the Corona issue, every other person is going to the High Court. So far, the High Court has admitted 87 Public Interest Litigations. Due to the daily hearings, the officials are facing problems and hardship. Senior doctors and other officials, who are working day and night giving treatment to the needy, are forced to spend more amount of their time to run to the Court,” the statement from the CM Office said.

“In this hour of crisis, these senior officials have to leave their primary duty and are spending time to prepare for the court hearings and to attend the hearings. With this, they are not been able to render cent percent justice to their duties,” it added.

In fact, when compared to other States in the country, the situation in Telangana State is better. There is less percentage of deaths. Yet, the State government and the medical officers are working to the best of their abilities. The State administration is ready to provide medical treatment to any number of patients.  Everyday thousands of tests are done.

“It is painful that though so much has been done, but yet the High Court made some comments. In the past too, someone filed a petition asking that tests should be conducted on the dead. The High Court gave orders in their favour. Taking into consideration the factual situation, the Supreme Court had set aside the HC orders,” the statement pointed out.

However, PILs are being filed in the High Court and the Court is admitting them. With the Court hearing 87 PILs, it is inconvenience for the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Health) and Hospital medical superintendents concerned when the High Court is summoning them. The precious time of the medical and other senior officials is spent on attending the Court hearings.

“Based on the comments made by the High Court, some media organisations are also reporting in such way to convey that the State government is not doing anything on the matter. This is shattering the morale of the medical staff who are rendering the services putting their own lives at stake,” it added.

The CM gave a patient hearing to the officials. He instructed the officials concerned to file an affidavit in the High Court on conducting the investigative tests, treatment given and precautions taken while administering the treatment with all facts. For the High Court hearing, the officials should submit all the information that the Court sought and inform it about the work done. (eom)

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