LAKSHMI SUNDAR Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) SUBSEQUENT to our orders dated 14. 10. 2009 and 19. 10. 2009, when this writ petition was taken up for hearing, the learned Advocate General placed before us a Government Order in G. O. (D ). No. 1123, Health and Family Welfare (EAP 1/2)Department, dated 15. 10. 2009, as well as a D. O. letter dated 29. 10. 2009, which emanated from the office of the Principal Secretary to Government, Health and family Welfare Department, to the Director of Medical Education, Chennai, with a copy to the Director of Institute of Mental Health, Chennai-10.

(2.) WE find from the above referred to Government Order that the Government has fairly come forward to respond to the orders of this Court with certain amount of seriousness and compassion while constituting a Nodal Agency for the institute of Mental Health (in short 'imh' ). As many as eight members with the principal Secretary to Government, Health and Family Welfare Department, as chairperson, have been appointed in order to monitor the health care services of the IMH, Chennai, by meeting once in a month. The D. O. letter of the Principal secretary to Government disclose that every possible step is being taken for the sanctioning of the required sum to undertake the repair works of the IMH premises for providing better hygiene to the inmates and also provision of sufficient number of cots and mattresses. Learned Advocate General, who is taking keen interest for implementing our directions, also stated before us that as against provision of 1800 cots, immediate steps have been taken to provide 700 cots with equal number of mattresses to be supplied to the IMH. Learned advocate General also stated that in the present juncture, the space available at IMH would enable the authorities to conveniently locate 700 cots and that in course of time, the State would also provide additional funds for supply of the remaining required cots and mattresses by releasing the required funds. A sum of rs. 88. 33 lakhs for carrying out the repair works and maintenance of bathrooms and toilets with proper sewage and drainage works, is stated to have already been released by the State Government.

(3.) WHILE appreciating the promptness with which the State Government has reacted to the directions of this Court, after hearing the learned counsel for the writ petitioners, we are of the considered opinion that along with the members, who have been appointed under G. O. (D ). No. 1123, dated 15. 10. 2009, two more members, who are Specialists in Mental Health, can also be added for the effective working of the Nodal Agency. With that view, we direct the State government to include Dr. R. Thara, SCARF and Dr. Lakshmi Vijayakumar, SNEHA, as members of the Nodal Agency, who will also be governed by the directives contained in G. O. (D ). No. 1123, dated 15. 10. 2009 and be part of the said Team.