The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the State-level Monitoring Committee, appointed as per the apex court’s order to monitor COVID-19 health facilities, to submit a report on works carried out by it in keeping a watch on the facilities available in private hospitals and care centres designated for COVID-19 treatment.
A Division Bench issued the direction during the hearing of PIL petitions related to COVID-19 health management.
Taking note of increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the State, including in Bengaluru city, the Bench said it is time to ascertain whether the committee has done the duty assigned to it and whether proper health facilities are available in private hospitals. The Bench asked the member-secretary of the committee to submit report within a week on its actions of monitoring the facilities such as availability of medicines, equipment, standard of facilities, treatment and food provided in private hospitals and care centres for COVID-19 patients.
Though the apex court had on June 19 directed all the States to immediately set up committees to monitor COVID-19 health facilities, a committee was set up in Karnataka during July-end after the High Court pulled up the government.
Wage payment
Meanwhile, the Bench directed both the Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute and the State government to look into allegations that full wages were not paid to contract labourers and the allegation of “ghost” labourers.
The Bench also directed the BMCRI and NIMHANS to inform the court whether they have appointed representatives to certify payment of wages by the contractors to the employees on contract as per Section 21(2) of the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970
The All India Council of Trade Union, in its petition, had alleged that wages were not being paid in full to the contract employees in Victoria Hospital and there are some names in the rolls of contract worker in the hospital but actually no such persons are working.