Consider plea for setting up separate ward for disabled: Madras HC

The court was disposing of a writ petition from one C Jagadeesan, praying for a direction to this effect, on November 17.

''This Court is of the view that the said hospital is one of the biggest ones in the State and there would not be any impediment for it to make arrangements for provision of separate wards, especially for those persons who are approaching them for getting disability certificate, as every day, the patients are admitted in it due to accidents and the tribunals are issuing directions from time to time to the claimants to obtain disability certificates. In such circumstances, it would be appropriate for the benefit of the claimants to provide a separate ward,'' Justice Krishnan Ramaswamy said.

According to advocate V S Suresh, his client Jagadeesan met with an accident in 2018 and he filed a petition claiming compensation before the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal. The Tribunal referred him to the Medical Board for assessment of the disability, pursuant to which he was admitted in the Neuro ward of the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital for obtaining the disability certificate. To the petitioner's dismay, he could not find a bed as there were other patients taking treatment. Finally, he was given one on the floor in the general ward and kept under observation for a month, during which period he had to suffer a lot of inconvenience and mental agony. His wife, who was attending to his needs, also underwent many hardships, Suresh told the judge.

In the meanwhile, Jagadeesan obtained his disabled certificate.

The judge noted that though the prayer sought for by the petitioner is two-fold and that subsequent to filing of the petition, he had been issued with the certificate, in the interest of the disabled persons, the second limb of the prayer -- setting up of a separate ward -- has to be considered.

''In the light of the above, this writ petition is disposed of by directing the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation, dated January 10, 2018 on merits and pass appropriate orders in accordance with law, within four weeks,'' the judge said.