The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai civic body to hold a meeting with the board of cash-starved Wadia hospitals for women and children here next month to resolve their disputes over financial aid and other issues.
A division bench of Justices S C Dharmadhikari and R I Chagla gave the direction while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking release of grants to Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children and Nawrosjee Wadia Maternity Hospital by the BMC and the state government, respectively.
The bench also pulled up the government and the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) for lack of oversight on functioning of the two hospitals receiving funds from them.
The maternity hospital receives grant from the government, while the children's hospital gets funds from the BMC. Both hospitals, located in same premises in Parel, had been facing cash crunch, resulting in non-admission of new patients and delay in giving salaries to staff members.
The hospitals, run by the same board, are locked in disputes with the government and the BMC over release of funds and other issues.
Last week, after the court intervened in the matter, the government released a sum of Rs 24 crore for the maternity hospital, while the BMC gave Rs 14 crore to the children's hospital.
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The bench on Tuesday directed officials concerned from the state government and the BMC to hold a meeting with board members of the hospitals on February 12.
"We hope and trust that all parties concerned shall resolve all issues keeping larger public interest in mind," the court said.
It added that if after the meeting, the pending issues are not resolved then the parties involved (hospital management, the government and the BMC) should part ways amicably.
"After this meeting...if things do not work out...we feel it would be best to part ways amicably," Justice Dharmadhikari noted.
Government counsel Girish Godbole informed the court the state has been seeking financial details from the hospital management since 2017, but it has not yet received the required information.
The hospital's counsel, Rafiq Dada, said the hospital was ready to allow inspection of the relevant documents on February 5.
The court accepted the statement, but said the parties concerned should avoid indulging in such petty battles.
"Dirty linen should not be washed in public or in court. It does not auger well that such causes are converted into slanging matches," the court said.
The government and the BMC also got an earful from the bench for not being vigilant towards the functioning of the hospitals.
"If you (the government and the BMC) have been giving such huge amounts of money to the hospitals since so long don't you have some accountability? No visits...no vigil... it is our money that is being given to the hospitals," Justice Dharmadhikari observed.
"Whatever has been going on at these hospitals all this while was with the blessings of the state government and the municipal corporation," he added.
The court further noted the government and the civic body were two most important stakeholders in the hospitals.
"You (the government and the BMC) are the two most important functionaries relied upon by the people of Mumbai and Maharashtra," the court said.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on February 18.
During the January 16 hearing of the PIL, the HC had slammed the government for dragging its feet over financial aid to the hospitals, saying it has money for constructing statues, but not for spending on public health.