24 hrs notice to pvt hospitals before taking over for Covid-19 treatment: NMC tells HC

Nagpur: In a respite to private hospitals to be taken over for treating Covid-19 patients, the civic body informed Nagpur bench of Bombay high court that it would issue a prior notice to the hospitals 24 hours before admitting such patients.
A statement in this regard was made by Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) counsel Sudhir Puranik, who informed that before implementing its notice of April 23 of using private hospitals, an advance notice would be given with a view to allow them to approach the court again.
In view of his statement, justice Anil Kilor stated that currently no order was required on application filed by Dhantoli Nagrik Mandal challenging the NMC’s order of April 23. “However, liberty is granted to the petitioner to get the matter circulated whenever such occasion arises,” he said.
The petitioner through counsels — Ashutosh Dharmadhikari and Ashwin Deshpande — challenged corporation’s order, particularly related to Avanti Hospital in Dhantoli contending that it was a highly congested area and many senior citizens stay there. Therefore, the possibility of spreading the deadly virus among the residents and also hospital staff couldn’t be ruled out. The petitioner contended that municipal commissioner has no authority or power to issue such orders.
Denying their contentions, Puranik argued that their application was premature and unless the capacity of government and corporation hospitals are completely exhausted, the civic body is not going to use private hospital for treatment of Covid-19.
‘20 dists in state lack Covid-19 testing facilities’
Amicus curiae Anup Gilda earlier raised the issue of non-availability of facility to treat Covid-19 patients at 20 districts of Maharashtra. He raised grievance against the Public Health Department. “After going through title clause, it appears that the Public Health Department is not a party to the petition. Accordingly permission is granted to the amicus curiae to add the department as a respondent in the petition,” justice Kilor said.
Assistant government pleader Deepak Thakre then sought time to take instructions from the Public Health Department to file reply, after which the hearing was adjourned till June 10. “The grievance raised in the present application is in respect of appointment of residential doctors on regular basis and not for a fixed period. Thus, the main issue is in respect of service conditions which cannot be considered in the present PIL,” the judge said.