Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 7: In a contempt petition filed by Advocate AV Gupta, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice BS Walia today directed Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department to appear in person along with the detailed affidavit indicating the steps taken to implement the directions regarding establishment of cancer institute, which was sanctioned in 2013-14 financial year.
After hearing Advocates Ajay Sharma and Aditya Gupta for the contempt petition, the DB observed, “respondents have filed compliance report on 06-09-2017 enclosing Order No. 201-AKJ of 2017 dated 25-08-2017, whereby Dr. Nadeem Showkat, Medical Officer was directed to report to the Administrative Officer, Govt Medical College, Jammu for further duties in the Department of Radiotherapy as Medical Oncologist”.
“In order to ascertain as to whether the doctor is competent to diagnose and suggest the course of treatment to the cancer patients, we had summoned him and today he has stated that he is competent to diagnose, suggest course of treatment and can also give treatment to the cancer patients”, the DB said, adding “another statement of facts has been filed by the respondents mentioning that establishment of PET scan is already under active consideration and in this regard Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India had sanctioned two State Cancer Institutes one each at SKIMS, Soura Srinagar and Govt Medical College, Jammu at a cost of Rs 120 crore each during the year 2013-14. However, in the statement of facts, it is nowhere mentioned with regard to the status of establishment of the institutes”.
Accordingly, DB directed Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department to appear in person along with the detailed affidavit stating the steps taken to implement the directions of the court and disclosing the reasons/ bottlenecks for establishing the cancer institute which was sanctioned in the year 2013-14.