Unregistered medical shops, nursing homes in dock

Srinagar, Dec 25 : Occupied Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed Secretary Health and Medical Education, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of all districts of the state to file status report with regard to unlicensed, unregistered drug stores, private hospitals, nursing homes and chemical establishments functioning in the state.

Granting last opportunity to the official respondents to file the report, a division bench comprising Chief justice M M Kumar and justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar held if they (respondents) failed to file the reply, they shall have to appear in person to explain their conduct.

Senior Additional Advocate General, A M Magray solicited last opportunity to file the report after the bench expressed displeasure over the delay in filing the report by the government.

 The Court asked the Secretary Health and Medical Education department to file report on the decision taken on the proposal submitted by drug controller and Food Control organizations for strengthening of drug and testing laboratories as also providing of sufficient staff to the organization.

 Acting on a PIL titled G M Khan versus state, the court had earlier directed deputy commissioners of all the districts to file fresh status report whether unlicensed/ unregistered drug stores, private hospitals, nursing homes, or clinical establishments were closed in terms of the previous order of the court.

The court also directed the commissioner secretary Health and Medical Education Department to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken by the government to carry out the perfect analysis of samples in drug testing laboratories. 

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SA/EN