Bilaspur: Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha, acting in the public interest, has taken note of increased malaria cases in Bilaspur and Bastar at the High Court, besides the spread of diarrhoea and vomiting in the Ratanpur area and has converted the matter into PIL. The Chief Justice started the proceeding and pointed out that the matter was urgent, after which they added that a new bench would now be assigned to the case.
Even though June is observed as Malaria Awareness Month, the state government has not initiated any crusade in this regard. The omission of action has become an issue of concern to the public, most especially as malaria has recently gained a rapid rate in the Kota area in the district of Bilaspur. Also, the people in the Ratanpur area have contracted diarrhoea and vomiting, adding to the deaths in the region.
This decision was occasioned by news articles on the above health crises, which necessitated High Court intervention. In particular, two reports presented information on the deaths of two children living in a residential school (ashram) in Bijapur, Bastar. This unfortunate position, added to the fact that malaria has rapidly spread in Bilaspur and at the same time diarrhoea outbreak occurred in Ratanpur, forced the High Court to act.
Earlier in the proceeding, the court had intervened and ordered that several officials of that importance be made parties to the suit. These are, for example, the Chief Secretary, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health, the Bilaspur Collector, the Bijapur Collector, the Chief Health Officer, the Director of Health Services and the Block Medical Officer, among others. They include 11 individuals and officials who have been named respondents in the PIL; the waiting list reveals the court’s willingness to pursue the administration for its deteriorating health conditions.
With this new bench in place, the case will remain highly active and relevant, to assure the state government to take those measures required to deal with such critical health concerns.
Check here for the latest updates in Hindi!