‘You are not concerned about citizens’: Calcutta HC slams WB health department
The court made the remarks while hearing a petition in which a social worker said his ancestors had donated land to the state government in 1976 for a PHC, but it has not come up yet.
The Calcutta high court on Tuesday slammed the West Bengal health department and said it wasn’t concerned about citizens and was allowing people to die.
“You move out of Kolkata. People are dying. Unless you are dragged, you will not do. You are not concerned about citizens, let them die,” stated the division bench of chief justice TS Sivagnanam.
The court made the remarks while hearing a petition in which a social worker from the Sunderban in South 24 Parganas said that his ancestors had donated around 13 bighas of land to the state government in 1976 to upgrade and construct an additional building at the local 10-bed primary health centre (PHC). However, the hospital hasn’t been upgraded yet.
“You are so proud of the lights in Park Street during Christmas. People are suffering and the health department takes a stand that the 10-bed hospital built in 1976 is more than sufficient,” the bench stated.
The state government has instead planned a mega surface water supply scheme on that land to provide water to people in 11 blocks.
“You come to my home state (Tamil Nadu). I will show you what are the facilities in PHCs and the sort of doctors and patronage they have got. They conduct medical camps. When a school reopens after vacation the doctors go to the school,” the bench stated.
The Sunderban, located in the southern tip of the state, has around 102 islands. Around half of these remote islands are inhabited while the rest comprise. Boats are the only mode of transport.
“If there is a will there is a way. Bureaucrats can’t function if there is no political will. The principal secretary can do nothing. He has got daggers above his head. They need to protect their office and themselves also,” the bench stated.
The counsel, representing the state health department, that the health centre would be upgraded into a 25-bed medical facility on the direction of the court.
“It is very shameful for us. Even for providing wheelchair we have to issue directions. You have to change the employment policy. How do the courts instill discipline in contractual workers?” the court stated.