Mumbai: The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court refused to validate the construction of a hospital at Beed, observing that the doctor who had sought permission to do so had indulged in illegal activities. This hospital was meant to be used for dialysis patients who are being turned away by the civil hospital, after the latter was shortlisted as a dedicated institution for the treatment of Covid-19 patients.
A bench of Justice Ravindra Ghuge imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 on Dr Manoj Mundhe, who had sought permission to proceed with the construction of the new hospital building. This building, he claimed was being constructed on the premises of his existing hospital in Beed.
According to Mundhe, his existing hospital has a capacity of 30 beds and to follow social distancing norms, additional space was required, so he sought permission for constructing a new building in his premises.
Notably, Mundhe's existing hospital has been shortlisted for treating Covid-19 patients.
Without having received a response from the civic authorities, Mundhe proceeded to construct the new building, which would have an OPD, a dialysis unit and an isolation unit.
However, the authorities pointed out that the construction was illegal as it did not have the requisite permissions either from the collectorate or the local civic body of Beed.
Having heard the submissions advanced by the parties, Justice Ghuge said, "I find that though Dr Mundhe contends that his existing hospital building is shortlisted for utilisation in treatment of Covid-19 patients, interim orders of granting permission to construct the unfinished building and to operate the OPD and the dialysis unit, cannot be granted in the face of the illegality, prima facie, indulged into by the doctor. Hence, no interim relief."
Justice Ghuge also imposed the fine while noting that the matter was heard despite having no urgency.
