Team News Riveting
Bangalore, April 6
The Karnataka High Court ordered to withhold the salary of the Principal Secretary in the Health and Family Welfare (Medical Education) Department of the State until the sanctioned MRI machine was installed and made operational at the Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (DIMHANS).
The Principal Secretary is a 1995 batch officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice SR Krishna Kumar on Tuesday observed that six weeks were given two years ago to initiate steps to procure the machine but the same was not executed yet.
On March 5, 2020, the Court had directed the State Government to take immediate steps for procuring an MRI machine of requisite specification for the use of DIMHANS. A six-week time was granted and was later extended. But the MRI machine could not be made available. “This also reflects the intention of the authorities in not getting the machine installed. We do not appreciate the conduct of the officers concerned,” the Court noted.
The State informed the Court that the MRI machine had been delivered to DIMHANS, but was not operational yet.
The Bench expressed its concern over the delays and said that during the previous hearing, the State had assured that the MRI machine would be made operational by March 30.
The Court said that the officials concerned had lost their sensitivity and were least concerned with public problems as they had delayed the matter of installation numerous times.
Therefore, the Division Bench directed that the salary of the Principal Secretary, Medical Education would not be disbursed until the MRI machine was installed and made operational.
The next hearing on the matter has been posted for April 21.
