PIL filed over unhygienic conditions at Civil Hospital

Ahmedabad: Two eminent citizens of the city — veteran journalist Prakash N Shah and women’s activist Ila Pathak approached Gujarat high court on Friday and filed a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking action against people responsible for the pathetic and unhygienic condition at the Civil Hospital that has allegedly led to the death of a doctor.
The petitioners’ counsel placed before the court photographs of the hospital and reports of local dailies to corroborate the claims that the condition of the hospital was deplorable and this forced the doctors to go on a strike. The PIL sought penal action against all those responsible for gross misconduct and negligence.
The bench of acting chief justice A L Dave and justice J B Pardiwala immediately reacted to the petition with the remark: “The situation is worse than pathetic...This is a burning issue which is not just confined to the hospital but prevalent in the entire society.” The judges said that those responsible for the situation need to be shaken and woken up.
Justice Pardiwala said nothing can be more pathetic than life being lost due to malaria or falciparum. Looking at the news clippings annexed with the PIL, some officers need to be suspended immediately, he observed.
Bringing to the notice of petitioners an HC order passed in 2006, the bench said that directions were issued to various authorities to keep the area and complexes clean.