JJ hostel mess: Maharashtra state human rights commission pulls up lax officials

The ailing JJ hostel in Byculla

The Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission on Tuesday severely reprimanded top government officials and JJ hospital dean for showing a lackadaisical attitude to its summons over the crumbling hostel building for resident doctors. Earlier, the Commission had acted on a mid-day report and issued summons to the senior officials. Sources said the Commission was aghast that none of the respondents came with an affidavit explaining their side.

On October 3, mid-day had highlighted the perilous living conditions at the hostel for resident doctors on the premises of JJ hospital at Byculla. Across the 7-storey structures chunks of concrete had fallen off the roof, exposing the corroded beams.

The report was enough for the Commission to crack the whip. A division bench of chairperson Justice K K Tated and member M A Sayeed issued summoned officials from the Public Works departments (PWD), the dean of JJ hospital, senior officials from the public health department to appear before it on October 19. The Commission is a quasi-judicial body with powers resembling a court of law.

Also Read: JJ's crumbling hostel: State Human Rights Commission summons hospital's dean, PWD

Resident doctors said their complaints have fallen on deaf ears

Sources said Dr Dilip Mhaisker, chief of Directorate of Medical Education (DMER), JJ dean Dr Pallavi Saple, and top PWD babus attended the hearing that began at 1 pm. Justice KK Tated rapped the officials for not filing their replies through affidavits as it never got to know who was responsible for the mess, they said.

"Justice KK Tated asked the PWD officials what action they had taken to strengthen the hostel building after VJTI submitted a structural audit report four years ago. They cited the bureaucratic procedure which didn't impress Justice Tated," said a source. The Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI) had carried out the structural audit of the hostel building in 2018.

The PWD officials apparently said that it was a major work they had sent a proposal to the hospital which was to move to DMER, the Medical Education and Drug Department (MEDD) and to the state finance ministry.

The bench then asked the principal secretary of MEDD and the additional chief secretary finance department to appear before it in the next hearing to explain how much time it will take to clear the proposal. "It also asked Dr Mhaisekar to meet the two officials - from MEDD and the finance department - and apprise them about the goings-on at the Commission," said a source. mid-day could not immediately get the exact date of the next hearing.