On Bombay High courts direction government of Maharashtra has appointed one man committee to inquire intocorrectness of the report filed by Pune divisional commissioner S Choklingam in5 year old girl’s death due to fatal administrative negligence. Soufiya was a victim of a serious disease known as “Hydrocephalus with CP”. Due to such serious disease of brain, her both hands as well as legs were affected.
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| Photo courtsey Moneylife.in |
On 5th February HC had directed Solapur Zilha Parishad to pay 5 lakh rupees as compensation to soufiyas parents and also ordered Pune Divisional commissioner to to hold an inquiry into the
aspect of delay and fix the responsibilities
for the fatal delay. HC had also asked divisional commission to direct
initiation of a departmental inquiry against all those who were responsible for
this fatal delay.
However divisional commissioner
in his inquiry report had come to the conclusion that neither the Civil Surgeon
nor the Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad was responsible for the delay.
After perusing said report HC foundthat the correctness of the report needs to be tested and directed the Principal Secretary of the Health Department of
the State Government to nominate
appropriate higher officer to look into the entire record of the inquiry and to
record his own conclusions in the matter after considering the report of the
Divisional Commissioner.
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| S Choklingam |
Under The Central Governments “Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan”Zilla Parishads identify
the disabled and
poor students and provide them medical treatment in recognized
hospitals. In soufiyas’ case, health camps
were organized for
the purposes of examining the children who were suffering
from various disabilities in Solapur district. Civil Surgeon of District Solapur submitted a
report on 6 th July 2013 to the Chief Executive Officer of Solapur Zilla
Parishad. The said report was based on the report submitted by Shri Annasaheb Shinde
Mhaisalkar Charitable Trust, Sangli.
The said Trust examined disabled students needing surgery. The said Trust submitted a detailed report as
regards 29 students.
Then Civil Surgeon recommended
the said proposal for sanction. However
no order was
immediately issued by
the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad. The said order was belatedly issued on 3rd
September 2013. Unfortunately, the
said girl Sofiya
died on 1st September 2013.
It was recorded that the girl was
examined in the camp held on 8th July
2013 with a view to ensure that she gets treatment by Specialists at the
earliest. The civil surgeon’s letter in
this case specifically noted that if the Chief Executive Officer had issued
orders earlier, the girl Soufiya could have been saved. As the entire
expenditure on the surgery and treatment of the sofiya was approved by the
Civil Surgeon, only on account of fatal delay in issuing consequential order that
the girl died without receiving the required medical treatment.
The HC also observed from the
communication dated 3rd August 2013 addressed by the Civil Surgeon, Solapur, to
the Chief Executive Officer
of Solapur records
that not only
that the elementary facilities
were lacking in
the “Vaijanta Shamrao
Sawant Charitable Trust's Aditya
Hospital” at Vishram Baug, Sangli, but even a Full Time Orthopedic Surgeon was
not available in the said hospital. It Was
recorded that the said hospital did not not have Pediatric Orthopedic Instruments and
there were no
facilities of Physiotherapy and
Post Operative Rehabilitation in the said hospital. In fact, the said letter recorded that the
said Hospital was not capable of treating the children needing orthopedic
treatment.
The HC aslo directed
the Divisional Commissioner, Pune Division, Pune, to hold an inquiry into
the fact that notwithstanding the communication dated 3rd August 2013 issued by the Civil Surgeon,
Solapur, the cases recommended by the
Civil Surgeon, Solapur,
were referred to Vaijanta Shamrao Sawant Charitable Trust's Aditya
Hospital at Vishram Baug, Sangli;
HC also asked The Divisional
Commissioner to look into the alleged
action of approving payment of amount to the said Vaijanta
Shamrao Sawant Charitable
Trust's Aditya Hospital at Vishram Baug, Sangli, in relation to the alleged
surgery performed on
the disabled students.
The divisional commissioner hold
inquiry but found and that neither the Civil Surgeon nor the Chief Executive
Officer, Zilla Parishad was responsible for the delay. After perusing said report HC observed that the correctness of the report needs to be
tested and directed the Principal Secretary of the Health Department of the
State Government to nominate appropriate
higher officer to look into the entire record of the inquiry and to record his
own conclusions in the matter after considering the report of the Divisional
Commissioner.
This is how administration in Maharashtra
works, even after high court observed that soufiyas life could have been saved
if she had received right treatment at right place. The divisional commissioner
didn’t find any body guilty of criminal negligence. It seems that not only
politicians but babus in Maharashtra do not give any heed to poor children
rights. Recent chikki scam and soufiya death case are classic examples of it.
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