Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 4: Division Bench of State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan has treated a news item published in EXCELSIOR on November 29 under title “Cursed Paralkot village in Poonch has 80% people deaf and dumb” as Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
After going through the report, the DB observed, “the effected village is stated to be inhabited by about 300 odd souls and falls in Sawjian area of Mandi Sub Division. The report further discloses that no medical team has ever visited the area for affording treatment to the effected people, to conduct survey or study the reasons for this problem. Moreover, no special teachers have ever been deputed there to teach the deaf and dumb children”.
Division Bench further observed, “the issue highlighted in the newspaper is of serious nature and deserves immediate attention as such treated as Public Interest Litigation”. Accordingly, DB arrayed Commissioner/Secretary to Government Health and Medical Education Department, Secretary School Education, Deputy Commissioner Poonch, BDO Mandi Poonch and District Legal Service Authority Poonch through its Chairman as party respondents and issued notices to them.
Division Bench further directed the respondents to undertake physical inspection of the village Paralkot within one week from today. Even District Judge, Poonch-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority, Poonch has been directed to submit a report regarding correctness of the report and the measures, if any, taken to ameliorate the difficulties of the residents of village Paralkot.
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