BENGALURU: Taking serious note of inordinate delay in installing an MRI scanning machine at the Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (DIMHANS), the Karnataka High Court ordered withholding the salary of senior IAS officer till the machine is installed. The officer, Naveen Raj Singh, has been serving as Secretary of the Medical Education Department.
A division bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice S R Krishna Kumar passed the order in the presence of Singh for failing to ensure functioning of the machine within the time stipulated by the court.
However, the order, which was passed in the morning, was recalled before concluding of the proceedings when Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinnappa requested to do so.
On the last date of hearing, the AAG informed that work for upgrading of DIMHANS as Higher Psychiatric Centre is in progress. The MRI machine is being transported from US and a schedule has been given to complete the various works according to which the entire work will be completed by March 30, 2022.
The case was adjourned to April 5. In relation to schedule of work to be completed, HC had directed to ensure that the hospital starts functioning from April 1, failing which the secretary should appear on the next hearing.