MADURAI
A public interest litigation petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday seeking the opening of a primary health centre in Uppur in Ramanathapuram.
A division bench of Justices M. Venugopal and Abdul Quddhose, hearing the petition, directed the Principal Secretaries of Health and Welfare and Public Works Department and the Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine to file their counters.
The petitioner, K. Thirumurugan of Uppur, said Uppur and nearby villages, which had a population of over 30,00 people, did not have any PHC. Due to lack of health care facilities, villagers were put to hardship, said the petitioner.
The nearest PHC was located more than 12 km away. Even in case of emergency, one had to travel 12 km for treatment.
Representations seeking health care facility in the village had not been considered by the Ramanathapuram district authorities, hence the petition of mandamus, said the petitioner.