Delhi HC castigates three hospitals

New Delhi, Nov 12 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today pulled up three hospitals of the capital which despite court orders are not providing free beds to the weaker sections of society.

A bench comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice S Murlidhar issued notices to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute&Research Centre, Mool Chand Hospital and St Stephen's Hospital and sought their replies by November 19 as to why despite being alloted land at concessionary rates to serve the poor, they are not providing free treatment to the poor.

The bench was hearing a public interest petition filed by a lawyers group, Social Jurist, which brought to the notice of the court that despite the rules of allotment and subsequent court orders the hospitals are not providing treatment to the poor.

The petitioner sought to initiate contempt of court proceedings against these hospitals.

According to rules, all hospitals and nursing homes, which have been alloted land at concessionary rates, will serve the general public with at least 25 per cent beds reserved for the poor.

The petition states that Rajiv Gandhi Hospital is obliged to provide 24 free beds, Mool Chand 19 and St Stephen's 60, but no such rules are being followed by them.

In a separate petition, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute has submitted to the court that it does not fall under such a category as their land allotment rules have no such clause of free treatment to the underprivileged patients.

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