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New Delhi, Dec 8 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from Delhi lieutenant governor’s office and others on a plea filed by the AAP government seeking release of funds for its ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme providing free treatment to accident victims.
A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sudhanshu Dhulia issued notices to Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, the Delhi government’s Directorate General of Health Services and others while seeking their replies on the plea.
“We don’t understand this one wing of the government is fighting with another wing of the government. Issue notice,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the Delhi government, submitted that 23,000 road accident victims have been provided cashless treatment in private hospitals under the ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme.
“I keep on writing and begging. They stop payments. How is health under the LG? This is completely social welfare and no politics is involved,” Singhvi said.
The ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme encourages people to rescue road accident victims. Under the scheme, the government foots hospital bills of those who have met with accidents in the city.
The plea has sought immediate re-operationalisation of the scheme by clearing pending bills, releasing timely payments to private hospitals and initiating disciplinary action against officials responsible for deliberately orchestrating the “de-operationalisation” of the scheme.
“Hospitals are now reluctant to accept accident victims and this scheme has practically become defunct for more than a year since payments to the majority of the hospitals have not been made. This has had a catastrophic impact on the medical aid available to victims of road accidents, and lives are being lost on the streets for want of timely and effective treatment…
“Despite repeated reminders and directions by the Department of Health and Family Welfare and the concerned minister regarding clearance of pending bills of the private hospitals, the Defaulting Officials neither cleared the pending bills nor made timely payments to the private hospitals which have provided cashless treatment to victims of road accidents,” the plea said.
The petition said that deliberate sabotage of the ‘Farishtey Dilli Ke’ scheme has been caused by repeated inaction, mismanagement and lackadaisical attitude of such officials.
It also sought action against former Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr Nutan Mundeja and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr S B Deepak Kumar. PTI PKS DIV DIV
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