MP High Court Issues Directives to Government Authorities
Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed the Union Health Ministry, the state government, and the Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Centre (BMHRC) to develop and finalize an action plan within one week to digitize medical records of the survivors of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
The directive was issued on January 6 and uploaded on Wednesday, as part of a contempt petition filed by the Bhopal Gas Peedith Mahila Udyog Sanghathan concerning the rehabilitation of the tragedy survivors.
Court’s Observations on Delays
The division bench comprising Chief Justice SK Kait and Justice Vivek Jain expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of progress.
“It seems that the respondents are not serious about completing the work,” the bench noted. The court emphasized the urgency of the matter and instructed the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh, and the Director of BMHRC to convene and finalize a detailed action plan.
The bench further ordered:
- Filing day-to-day progress reports.
- Ensuring timely release of funds required for the project.
Challenges in Digitisation
An affidavit filed in compliance with the court’s earlier directive on December 9, 2024, highlighted significant challenges:
- Scanning Limitations: Due to the age of medical records, only 3,000 pages can be scanned daily, requiring approximately 550 days to complete the process.
- Cloud Server Setup: A proposal for a cloud server under the e-Hospital project has been submitted to the National Informatics Centre (NIC). However, it is awaiting financial approval, with the budget expected in the Financial Year 2025-26.
The affidavit also estimated that after financial approval, the entire digitisation process could be completed in 12 months.
Timeline for Completion
The court stressed the importance of initiating the process immediately, while respondents indicated that precise timelines would only be determined after the commencement of the work.
This initiative aims to preserve crucial medical records and enhance the efficiency of health services provided to the survivors of the Bhopal gas tragedy, which remains one of the worst industrial disasters in history.
