Officials will supervise, act as required, says Madras High Court

Chennai: The Madras high court has expressed its expectation that the authorities concerned will supervise the installations of the Medical Gas Supply System at the Government Rajaji Hospital, Madurai, a super specialty hospital, and make sure that the installations adhere to the prescribed standards and the materials used in the work of installation are not sub-standard in any manner.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice J. Nisha Banu made the above observation while dismissing a petition from R. Nirmal Kumar, which sought a direction to the authorities to conduct a detailed enquiry and take action in respect of the alleged irregularities committed in the installations of Medical Gas Supply System at the Government Rajaji Hospital.

The bench said it was alleged that the on-going installation of the Medical Gas Supply System in the Government Rajaji Medical College Hospital has been carried out in violation of the prescribed standards. “Unfortunately, there is not a whisper of the exact standards, which are prescribed, but not being adhered to”, the bench added.

The bench said it was alleged that the person to whom the tender has been awarded, was a close relative of an Assistant Engineer working in the PWD, Madurai and that the said Assistant Engineer influenced the decision to award the tender.

The Assistant Engineer concerned has not been named and there was no indication of what was the relationship between the Assistant engineer and the person to whom the tender has been awarded.

The bench said the representation of the petitioner was hopelessly devoid of material particulars. The allegation that the work of installation was being carried out in haste and “ignorant manner not following the standards prescribed” was totally vague. No quality details have been mentioned and the deviation has not been specific in the petition bench added.The bench said it was not for the High Court to go into the cost of a project for installation of gas pipelines.

This court cannot also adjudicate whether the price quoted by the contractors for equipment purchase was much higher than the value at which the same had been purchased.

It is, however, expected that the authorities will supervise the installations and make sure that the installations adhere to the prescribed standards and the materials used in the work of installation are not sub-standard in any manner”, the bench added.