Morung Express News
Kohima | February 23
The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has asked the state government file a comprehensive affidavit showing how the medical college project would be completed within the shortest time and how the Government will ensure starting of the college this year.
Hearing a batch of analogous Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on matters relating to quality health services as per the Indian Public Health Standard Guidelines in Nagaland, a bench comprising Justice Songkhupchung Serto and Justice Devashis Baruah heard the PIL on February 22 and listed the matter again after 3 weeks.
In the order, the judges said the not only the medical directorate but the other stakeholders in the state machinery should be involved in the implementation of the project given the fact that a Medical College, a first in the state, was crucial and important for the state.
“Under the circumstances, we feel compelled to direct the Government to see that, all steps that are necessary are taken for starting the college this year, and to complete the project at the earliest,” the Court said.
The court also observed that the Letter of Intent and Letter of Permission that are required to be obtained from the National Medical Commission as per the Regulation 2022 have not yet been obtained and formation of society under whom the management of the Medical College has to be placed has not been formed till today.
Noting that there is no shortage of fund for implementation of the project, the court stated that the time frame given for completion of different components of the project are well passed except for the Medical college building and boys and girls hostel for which timelines have been extended till March 2022. In this connection the Court, making a comparison of previous affidavits filed in March 2021 and the affidavit filed on February 22, said that the completion of these two components would also take some more time as the work was progressing at an average of 10% per year.
Further, the Court stated that it had taken note of the lack of man power in the hospitals and health centres and passed an order earlier, asking responsible officers of the Department of Health and Family Welfare to appear before this Court, so as to be informed, as to why, the State of Nagaland is still not having medical college.
As such, a team of officers led by the Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, appeared on February 16 and apprised the Court that the Medical college project would be completed by 2022, and the first batch of MBBS students will be admitted for the session 2022-2023.
In this connection, the Court order stated that the counsel appearing for the Medical Department had also submitted that that alternative arrangement are being made to facilitate starting of the college with admission of first batch of MBBS this year. However, it was skeptical that the “starting of the Medical College this year with first batch of MBBS, in these infrastructures would not be possible,” taking into account the progress made so far.
