Date:15/08/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/08/15/stories/2006081503620500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

High Court issues notice to State

Staff Reporter

A letter on the sad state of nursing colleges was treated as a PIL plea

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Monday ordered issue of notices to the State Government and other respondents on a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) petition on the inadequate infrastructure in some nursing colleges in the State.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice N.K. Patil treated a letter by the former judge V.P. Mohan Kumar, who is also acting chairman of the Kerala State Human Rights Commission, on the sad state of some nursing institutions, as a suo motu PIL.

On June 12, 2006, Mr. Mohan Kumar had written to the then acting Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court B. Padmaraj about several complaints received by the commission from nursing students.

The nursing students and students of other para-medical colleges hailing from Kerala had written to the commission detailing the lack of adequate facilities in the institutions.

Mr. Mohan Kumar had requested the Karnataka High Court to treat his letter as a PIL petition and direct the State Government to conduct an inquiry into the state of such institutions.

He also urged the High Court to direct the Karnataka Government to take appropriate steps to prevent any perpetuation of crime in the form of bogus nursing and para-medical institutions.

A large number of institutions did not have adequate and qualified teaching staff. The conditions in these institutions left much to be desired.

The letter said some of the students had complained of mental and physical torture if they did not pay large sums of money. It said such incidents were a crime against humanity and that the State should take steps to nip it in the bud.

The Bench adjourned further hearing on the case till August 29.