"How do we make govt work?" Karnataka High Court pulls up State for delay in upgrading DIMHANS to Higher Psychiatric Center

The Karnataka High Court on Monday issued directions to the State to ensure that the Dharwad Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (DIMHANS) begins functioning as a Higher Psychiatric Centre from April 1, 2022 [Karnataka State Legal Services Authority v. State of Karnataka]..The Division Bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi and Justice SR Krishna Kumar directed the State government to file an affidavit regarding the schedule of work to be completed.The Bench expressed its frustration that at the delay in upgrading the institute, with the Chief Justice questioning Additional Advocate General Dhyan Chinappa, "How do we make your government work?".Justice Krishna Kumar quipped that perhaps they should be "sent to Ukraine".The High Court was hearing a writ petition in the matter filed in 1996. .During the previous hearing, on November 10, 2021, the High Court had noted that there was delay in installing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan machine, for which three months time had been granted. However, till date the machine had not been procured or installed. The Court sternly observed that delays due to lack of funds, or for any other reason could not be countenanced, and that the hospital needed to be upgraded to a higher psychiatric centre at the earliest. Since this Court is unable to make the State work, perhaps the matter needs to be referred to the Supreme Court, the Bench suggested. .The Court ordered the state to file an affidavit with a schedule to complete the work, and ensure that the MRI scan machine is transported from America and installed. The High Court directed that the State should ensure that the hospital begins functioning as a higher psychiatric centre from April 1, failing which Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare (Medical Education), Government of Karnataka, would have to appear to tender an explanation. The matter will be heard next on April 5.