BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday warned the state government of serious action over its inability to fill up the posts of gynaecologists and staff nurses in government hospitals.
The high court directed Jawaid Akhtar, Principal Secretary of Department of Health and Family Welfare, to read the issues pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report about vacancies in these posts and the reproductive and child health services in Karnataka.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S R Krishna Kumar issued the direction as it observed that a statement had been submitted by the Principal Secretary without going through the CAG’s report or the directions issued by the court at its last hearing.
The court was hearing a PIL petition filed by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority seeking directions to the state government to take steps to fill up the vacant posts for comprehensive implementation of the health schemes to prevent maternal mortality.
In the statement, the Principal Secretary stated that the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) is the selecting authority for filling up the posts in the department. The draft rules for the same are awaiting cabinet approval. Meanwhile, the Finance Department had permitted to fill up 998 staff nurse posts and the same was awaiting the Health Minister’s approval. After the approval, counselling would be commenced immediately.
NHAI told not to cut trees on Belagavi-Goa highway
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) not to cut more trees on Belagavi-Goa Highway (NH-4A) extension project. The division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice S R Krishna Kumar issued this direction after it was informed that 12,258 trees have been cut as of February 28 in the forest area near Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.
The court directed the NHAI to submit a copy of the permission granted to cut those trees and also the details of the number of trees cut after February 28. The court was hearing the PIL petition filed by environmentalist Suresh Heblikar and two others seeking directions to stop felling of about 22,000 trees for widening of NH4-A from Khanapur to Londa in Belagavi. The 14km stretch passes through the reserve forest and elephant reserve in core areas of Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary.