(1.) THIS suo motu petition which takes cognizance of the letter dated nil addressed to the Supreme Court which was converted into a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution and registered as Writ Petition No.347/1986. By the order dated 20.2.1989 of the Supreme Court, the petition came to be transferred to this Court and reregistered as Suo Motu Writ Petition No.1885 of 1989. The petitioners' are "Friends of Lepers Society, Pune."
(2.) CONSEQUENT to the order passed by this Court on 18.6.2001 Mr.Damodar Vele was appointed as the Commissioner to visit Dr.Bandorawalla Leprosy Hospital situated at Kondhwa, Pune and to make a report with respect to various deficiencies which were pointed out in the petition. The petition has mainly highlighted lack of infrastructure and other facilities at the Dr.Bandorawalla Leprosy Hospital. Mr.Vele submitted his report to this Court in July 2001 and vide the order dated 2nd August, 2001 this court recorded its satisfaction that the Leprosy hospital was doing a good work as per the report submitted by the Commissioner and also took note of the various suggestions made for improvement in the said report. The leprosy hospital is not only a hospital for treatment of leprosy patients but indeed it has taken other activities meant for rehabilitation of the leprosy cured patients by setting up different co-operative societies rendering services in manufacturing etc. Mr.Anturkar, who was appointed as amicus curiae for the petitioners has also contributed to the efforts made to bring the infrastructure to a required level.
(3.) AT present there are 28 staff members on deputation including the Administrator and there are other 9 staff members on contract basis, 2 of them are medical officers. The hospital has 350 sanctioned beds and the number of average indoor patients has been from 140 to 175 (both men and women) whereas the O.P.D. patients are on much larger scale. In the year 2001-02 there were about 2059 patients who visited this hospital but by 31st March, 2005 the patients strength went up to 3710. The indoor patients are given morning tea and break-fast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The proposal for the recruitment of 71 additional staff members is presently pending with the State Government. This proposal needs to be expedited so that the hospital has all the required personnel i.e. technical, nursing, cleaning as well as administrative staff.