High Court restrains agitations by JIPMER staff

Chennai, Sept 20: Madras High Court today restrained the Union Government, JIPMER and two others from allowing the JIPMER Anti Conversion Action Committee and JIPMER Staff Struggle Committee from conducting any form of agitation within the hospital premises and the area thereof, preventing the patients from getting treatment and hindering the doctors from discharging their duties.

A Division Bench comprising Justice P Sathasivam and Mr Justice S Tamilvanan ordered the interim injunction while ordering notice, returnable by September 27 to JIPMER Anti Conversion Action Committee (JIPMER ACAC) and JIPMER Staff Struggle Committee (JIPMER SSC), on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by K M S Devodasan of Pondicherry.

In its order, the Bench said +it was satisfied that the petitioner has made out a prima facie case for grant of interim junction. Taking note of the direction issued by the Delhi High Court in a similar case and the grievances of the petitioner that thousands of patients could not take treatment due to the agitation and obstructions, it said.

Some safeguards have to be made for the patients approaching the hospitals+, the Bench added.

The Bench said JIPMER ACAC and JIPMER SSC are entitled to highlight their grievances in a peaceful manner as observed by the Delhi High Court, but the patients should not be inconvenienced. It was also brought to the notice of the court that even the injunction order obtained by JIPMER in a competent Civil court (II Additional District Munsif), Pondicherry, that has not been implemented and JIMPER SCC who was a party to the said proceedings was obstructing the functioning of the hospital. Taking note of all these aspects, we are inclined to grant interim order. Accordingly there shall be order of injunction for two weeks+, the bench added.

In his petition, Devadosan submitted that to develop the JIPMER hospital, the centre has decided to give autonomous status to JIPMER. As far as the employees of JIPMER are concerned, their service conditions and other perquisites are not disturbed, it added.

The agitators have started interfering with the administration and also threatened the doctors and attempted to prevent them from discharging their duties.

UNI