HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on alleged safety and staffing deficiencies in government hospitals across the state, following a representation submitted by Hyderabad-based advocate Nallapu Manideep to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice P Sam Koshy and Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao directed the Telangana government and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to file their counter-affidavits before the next hearing.
The intervention followed the CJI forwarding Manideep’s detailed representation to the High Court for consideration as a PIL.
The representation highlighted systemic shortcomings in public healthcare infrastructure and alleged violations of the fundamental right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Acting Chief Justice subsequently ordered its registration as a suo motu PIL.
The representation drew attention to two hospital mishaps within 24 hours in September. At RIMS, Adilabad, a fire broke out in the Special Newborn Care Unit, resulting in the deaths of five infants, while 28 newborns were evacuated.
At MGM Hospital, Warangal, portions of the concrete ceiling and false ceiling collapsed in the Aarogyasri ward, injuring a paralysed patient, attendants and sanitation workers.
