The Himachal Pradesh High Court in the case Court on its own motion Vs. State of H.P. observed and has demanded the detailed report explaining the ‘dilatory tactics’ employed in addressing the severe staff shortage at Rohru Civil Hospital. The court in the case was hearing the Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation, PIL expressing the deep concern about the lack of progress despite previous directives.
The High Court in the case observed and had taken cognisance of the issue when the news report has been published in a leading newspaper wherein it highlighted the severe shortage of para-medical staff at the Civil Hospital in Rohru, while prompting the court’s intervention.
The bench comprising of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua in the case observed and has perused the fresh status report filed by the respondents on the subject and the court noted that 13 posts out of 33 posts of staff nurses are yet to be filled up from the waiting panel drawn up by HPSSC and the remaining 20 posts were pending which is to be filled up on batch-wise basis. The bench in the case observed while commenting on the report that the similar statement had been made in the status report filed on October 10, 2023, and expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of progress in the two-month interim period. The court in the case find that the status report filed by the state offered no new solutions, merely reiterating the same plan which is presented two months ago. The bench in its order stated that this court fails to understand why the process of filling up of 33 vacancies in the Civil Hospital Rohru, should wait till March 2024, since it is not the case of the respondents-State that illness to the citizens will get postponed after March 2024, and nobody will fall ill in the intervening period.
The court while considering the facts and circumstances of the case observed and has directed the Director of Health Services to submit a comprehensive report by the next hearing, detailing the reasons behind the delays and outlining a concrete action plan for immediate recruitment and deployment of staff.
Accordingly, the court listed the matter for further consideration on December 19, 2023.
