INDER PAL Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present petition has been filed in the nature of public interest litigation. Petitioner has remained President of the Youth Congress of Solan Constituency Unit from 1998 to 2003. Civil Hospital is located in Kandaghat which is 80 years old. It has 10 rooms and residences for three doctors and medical staff. According to the averments contained in the petition, the State Government had approved construction of new building for the Civil Hospital, Kandaghat and the budgetary provisions for the construction had been made in the financial year 2007-08. According to the earlier decision, 50 bedded hospital building was approved by the Whether the reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the Judgment

(2.) Government at the existing spot. However, according to the petitioner, now a decision has been taken to shift the building to a new site. Mr. Shrawan Dogra has vehemently argued that the action of the respondent-State to construct the Civil Hospital building at new site is contrary to earlier decision. He then contended that Kandaghat area needs 50 bedded Civil Hospital and the present site is more suitable where land measuring 8 bighas is available.

(3.) No.22 and is adjoining to Mini-Secretariat. Thereafter revised estimates and drawings were prepared for 30 bedded hospital with a preliminary estimate of Rs. 3,90.89 lakhs. This was examined and administrative approval was accorded by the Government for the construction of Civil Hospital, Kandaghat with an expenditure sanction amounting to Rs. 10 lakhs on 9.1.2009. The Director of Health Services submitted revised drawings of the proposed building with a total estimate of Rs. 2.44 crore with a bed capacity of 15. In addition to this, there is a proposal to allocate Rs. 10 lakhs from Scheduled Caste Component Plan and Rs. 20 lakhs from National Rural Health Mission to construct the building in a phased manner as per the availability of funds. The reason assigned for reducing the beds in the new hospital is that Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital, Shimla is at a distance of 30 KMs from Kandaghat and Civil Hospital, Soaln is at a distance of 16 KMs from Kandaghat. It is further averred in the reply that new site is more approachable vis  -vis the old site.