Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 5: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today warned action against Government for non-compliance of Supreme Court orders guidelines on sale of acid in the market and financial and medical aid to the acid attack victims.
While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed after an acid attack last year in December, High Court today pulled up State government for not following the Supreme Court guidelines and warned it of harsh action.
“Before initiating action for non-compliance of direction of the court, we give one more opportunity to the Chief Secretary and other authorities including Commissioner Secretary of Health and Finance Department as also Financial Commissioner Home for complying with the directions forthwith”, directed the Division Bench of High Court comprising Justice MH Attar and Justice J R Kotwal.
Court sought compliance of the directions before next date from the Government. “These authorities shall file compliance report before next date about implementation of the court directions”, the bench directed.
The Court came down heavily on Government through its Additional Advocate General R A Khan after it found no compliance report filed by the government.
“Nothing is brought to the notice as to in which manner court direction is complied with. The delay in implementation of the direction issued on December 30 last year definitely will have an adverse impact on human life, which is most precious among the living organisms and prima facie it appears that the State, till date failed to implement the earlier directions of the court. The State and its authorities have not exhibited required sensitiveness in complying with the court order and willfully and deliberately not implemented the directions”, observed the court.
High Court had directed the State Government to take all steps for providing complete treatment to the acid attack victim and seek information from the hospital authorities as to how much amount has been spent and required to spend on her treatment.
State Counsel stated before the court that Rs 3 lakhs has been paid to the acid attack victim. He further added that father of the victim has been contacted for asking him to give the details of expenses made on the treatment of his daughter.
Court rejected this statement of the Counsel and said the direction was not to gather the information about expenses incurred on treatment of the victim from the victim’s father but the direction was to seek information from hospital authorities about the treatment expenses.
“Specific direction was issued to seek information from the Hospital-Authorities about the amount already spent and how much further amount would require to be spent in future on the treatment of the victim of the acid attack and amount so required be paid to the hospital authorities where the victim is undergoing treatment”, the bench said.
The PIL was filed after last year in December some unidentified car borne youth threw acid at a law student at Nowshehra, Srinagar inflicting serious burn injuries on her face and damaging her right eye.
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