State Information Commission has reprimanded the authorities concerned for failing to provide accurate data with regard to radiation emitted by diagnostic centres in Srinagar.
An application under RTI was filed by Haji Jan Mohammad Koul, a traders’ leader, to the health department and Srinagar Municipal Corporation seeking various details about the authorized diagnostic centres operating in Karan Nagar area.
Dissatisfied with the response of the authorities concerned, Jan had moved an appeal to the State Information Commission and seeking a direction on them to provide comprehensive information to the appellant as sought under the RTI applications.
When the appeal came up for hearing two days back, State Information Commissioner, Ashraf Beigh after hearing the parties at length observed that the health department “is confused about the law under which diagnostic centres and clinical establishments are required to be registered, about the essential conditions and criteria for such registration, the conditions for renewal of registration/licence, inspection of these centres and establishments, safety measure to be undertaken, monitoring of these centres, etc.”
The SIT said the department “does not keep any record as to how many clinical establishments are operating without a valid registration/licence and how many such establishments have not renewed their registration/licence.”
It said that in terms of the Nursing Homes and Clinical Establishments Act, the registration/licence is valid only for a year and such registration/licenses are required to be renewed every year. “The municipal authorities are also under an obligation to ensure that the premises of these nursing homes and clinical establishments are used in accordance with the Master Plan and the Municipal Bye-laws.”