The Tamil Nadu Information Commission (TNIC) has ordered notice to the authorities at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, seeking an explanation as to why penalty should not be imposed and disciplinary action taken against those concerned for the delay in providing information on the treatment given to a patient who died.
The petitioner, M.P. Murugesan of K.K. Nagar, Chennai, had sought under the Right to Information Act the case sheets of his father, who was admitted to the hospital and subsequently died. In his petition to the Head of the Institute of Diabetology, he also sought to know the number of beds in ward no. 142, the number of patients who were treated on the floor due to a shortage of beds, the procedure involved in carrying out blood/urine test on patients with diabetes, the duties and responsibilities of doctors and nurses, the number of out-patients/in-patients seen by Professors/Assistant Professors, etc.
When there was no reply to his petition, Mr. Murugesan filed the first appeal with the Head, Institute of Diabetology. As there was an inordinate delay in getting a reply, which was ‘incomplete’, he moved the TNIC, stating that the delay in providing the information sought had defeated the purpose of his accessing those documents. He demanded action against the authorities concerned under Sections 20(1) and 20(2) of the Act. The Public Information Officer, Saleema, said there had been a delay in the petitioner’s appeal reaching her office from the Institute of Diabetology. Passing orders, State Information Commissioner S. Selvaraj held that there was a delay in providing information to the petitioner, who lost his father, as a result of which he was subjected to mental agony.
Disciplinary action
The Commission ordered notice to the Institute of Diabetology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, seeking an explanation as to why disciplinary action should not be initiated against the officials concerned and a penalty of ₹25,000 imposed under the provisions of the Act.
