HC orders state govt. to submit time-bound programme on vacant posts in government hospitals

Aurangabad, June 18:

The Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni, on behalf of the state government, today has submitted an affidavit, stating that the vacant posts lying in the state's government hospitals will be filled up in the coming four months, in the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court today (June 18). However, there was a difference in figures and there was no mention about the total vacant posts of Class III and IV categories and when and how they will be filled up. As a result, the bench comprising Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Dipankar Datta and Justice Ravindra Ghuge has ordered to submit a time-bound programme in the court by June 28.

Accordingly, the next hearing on public interest litigation (PIL) filed by MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel will be held on June 29. Meanwhile, the director (public health department) Dr Sadhana Tayade also submitted an affidavit in the High Court today.

Meanwhile, the Advocate General has informed the bench that the affidavit stating the total vacant posts in Aurangabad and other parts of the state (in health departments) and details of the recruitment process will be submitted in the next hearing.

The MP, who appeared as the Party in Person, brought to notice of the High Court that there is a total of 683 sanctioned posts of civil surgeons in the state, out of which 296 are vacant; 205 are vacant out of 287 posts of district health officers (DHOs); 400 are vacant out of 500 posts of speciality doctors and 3,737 posts are vacant in general administration department (GAD) out of 10,323 posts. Hence the government without any delay should implement the recruitment process in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Earlier, in the hearing held on June 16, the MP had brought into notice the shortcomings in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), its Super Speciality Hospital and how the instruments and equipment are getting damaged. He also highlighted the absence of Cardio Vascular Thoracic Surgeon Dr Ashish Bhivapurkar since his appointment in April 2018. The MP had pinpointed the urgent need of overcoming all the shortcomings before the arrival of the third wave of Coronavirus.

Today, acting upon the High Court order, the MP mentioned the submission of an additional affidavit in the court. He brought to the notice of the bench that the government has not submitted any clarification regarding the absence of Dr Bhivapurkar and his functioning. Hence the High Court directed the Director (Health) to submit the details and submit clarification upon it in the next hearing on June 29.

Kumbhakoni and Adv Sujit Karlekar represented the State Government, while assistant solicitor general Ajay Talhar represented on behalf of the Central Government.