New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Thursday refused to exempt the chief secretary from joining a meeting to be convened by the AIIMS director on the issue of implementation of six-member committee’s recommendations for improving services at city government-run hospitals.
Asserting that AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas — who has been tasked with the responsibility to implement the proposed reforms — has raised concerns with respect to non-cooperation by officials, a bench headed by Chief Justice Manmohan said the chief secretary can join the meeting virtually.
In a report given to the court, the AIIMS director has said the officials attending the meetings were “not in a decision-making capacity and also do not have the full spectrum of latest information” and therefore the next meeting has to be with the chief secretary of Delhi and other senior officials.
On September 30, the court directed the AIIMS director to convene the meeting on October 5 with the chief secretary and the other senior officials in the Delhi administration, while stating it would not tolerate the “obstructionist attitude” of the authorities in the matter.
“It is time to open the contempt file. (But) We stopped our hand. The health secretary is not cooperating,” the bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, said on Thursday.
“He (CS) can join virtually. Let the first meeting take place. Director AIIMS has been involved. He is saying there is no cooperation. There can’t be any non-cooperation,” it added.
The court’s observations came after senior counsel for the Delhi government mentioned the matter, saying the parties have agreed to hold the meeting a day before.
He also sought exemption for the chief secretary from attending the meeting at this stage.
The court had earlier constituted the expert committee under Dr SK Sarin on a PIL it had initiated on its own in 2017 over alleged lack of ICU beds and ventilators in government hospitals.
In the order passed on September 30, the court has said that “bureaucratic obstacles in implementation of the recommendations shall not be countenanced”, and asked the Delhi government to ensure that no stakeholder is permitted to stonewall the proposals.
“So as to ensure timely implementation of the recommendations, Dr M Srinivas, Director AIIMS is directed to convene a meeting on 5th October, 2024 at 11:00 am. The Chief Secretary, GNCTD, the Secretary (Health), GNCTD, the Secretary (Finance), GNCTD, the Secretary (Administrative Reforms) and the Secretary (PWD), GNCTD shall be present in the meeting,” it ordered.
“The issues sought to be tackled in this matter pertains to availability of critical medical care to the residents of Delhi and the said objective ought to be kept in mind and bureaucratic obstacles in implementation of the recommendations shall not be countenanced by the Court.
“The recommendations of the Expert Committee already stands accepted by GNCTD and therefore no further delay in its implementation shall be accepted. GNCTD shall ensure that no stakeholder is permitted to stonewall the recommendations of the Committee,” the court stated.
The court has also sought a fresh status report in the matter, including on the aspect of joining of 23 doctors selected by UPSC.
In case of non-joining of the selected candidates, steps be initiated for issuing joining letters to the wait-listed candidates, the court added. PTI ADS ADS KVK KVK
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