Law to regulate beauty clinics, hair transplant centres

Chennai

The Madras High court, which had voiced its concern two years ago at the lack of a law to regulate hair transplant centres and beauty clinics in the State, was informed that the Tamil Nadu Private Clinic Establishments (Regulation) Act 1977 has been notified and had come into effect from June 1, 2018.

Justice N Kirubakaran who had raised the query in September 2016 following the death of an MBBS student on May 17, 2016, two days after a hair transplant at a studio in Chennai as to why said Act, which was passed by the assembly way back in 1997 was yet to be notified, said, “This court appreciates the State Government for having given effect to the Act passed in the year 1997, at least after two decades.”

The query about the Act was raised on a plea moved by the tenant of the premises in Nungambakkam, which was kept under lock and seal following the death of one Santhosh Kumar, a final year MBBS student after undergoing transplantation procedure in the petitioner clinic on May 15, 2016, due to some complications.

While directing the State to remove the lock and seal and the tenant to hand over possession of the premises to the land owner after taking all the movables, Justice Kirubakaran on impleading the State Government as a party had raised 10 queries including as to what stopped it from notifying the Act passed by the Assembly as early as February 14, 1997.

Incidentally, the query which was raised on September 9, 1996 was subjected to adjournment for the past two years and was informed only October 22 about the Act coming into vogue. The queries raised included as to why successive Governments had not framed the rules and when it would adopt the Central law enacted in this regard in 2010. It also sought to know from the authorities about the number of complaints received by them and action taken on such complaints. The case has been posted to November 8 for passing further orders regarding the issues raised by the court.