MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday sought reply from the State government to a counter affidavit filed by the Centre expressing interest in beginning outpatient services and MBBS classes at AIIMS in Madurai. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had filed the counter in response to a PIL filed by a law student, K Pushpavanam of Madurai.
The ministry stated that it is keen to start services at AIIMS Madurai, subject to availability of suitable alternative space for MBBS classes and outpatient services as well as faculty and other manpower.
Necessary processes would be expedited in consultation with the State government, it said. The ministry also informed that the project cell posts for AIIMS Madurai has already been sanctioned and appointments to the posts of Executive Director, Deputy Director (Administration), Executive Engineer and Administrative Officer have been made.
Assistant Solicitor General L Victoria Gowri, appearing for the ministry, contended before the court that it has not received any proposal from the State government for starting the aforesaid services. However, Additional Advocate General Veera Kathiravan argued that the State government had not received any communication from the Centre voicing the said intention.
‘Respond to Centre by next week’
A bench comprising Justices TS Sivagnanam and S Ananthi, hearing the submissions, opined that such formalities which are followed normally could be dropped in view of the pandemic situation and that the stand expressed by the Centre in the counter affidavit could very well be treated as a communication. The judges, therefore, directed the State government to give a response to the Centre’s stand by next week and adjourned the case.