Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 5: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking establishment of eye-bank, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal today directed that State to file status report regarding follow up action taken.
After hearing counsel for the PIL, DB observed, “in the status report filed on August 8, 2016 by the Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, it was stated that the respondent has now released the remaining amount of Rs 89.70 lakh on August 4, 2016 for establishment of eye bank at Government Medical College Jammu. This excludes the cost of procurement of ambulance for eye bank, which is being separately procured”.
“The total release thus made for setting up of eye bank at GMC during the financial year 2016-17 is Rs 130.95 lakh”, the DB said, adding “the State is now required to apprise the court about the follow-up action by filing status report”.
In the PIL, it has been submitted that the only eye-bank operating the State was closed by the respondents in the year 1994 and no eye-bank or eye-donation center is functioning till date in the State. It has been further submitted that mockery of the decimal scenario of the State of J&K is glaringly manifested as first eye-bank in world was established in the year 1944 and in India it was established in the year 1944 at Madras.
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