CENTRAL INFORMATION COMMISSION
Club Building, Opposite Ber Sarai Market,
Old JNU Campus, New Delhi - 110067.
Tel: +91-11-26161796
Decision No. CIC/SG/C/2010/001079/9332
Complaint No. CIC/SG/C/2010/001079/
Complainant : Mrs. Shakuntala Devi
.E-44/B-416, New Seema Puri,
Delhi - 110095.
Respondent : Public Information Officer &
Medical Superintendent
Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital
Dilshad Garden, Shahdara,
Delhi - 110095.
RTI application filed on : 19/05/2010, 04/08/2010
PIO replied : Not replied
First Appeal filed on : Not filed
Complaint filed on : 10/08/2009
Hearing Notice Issued on : -------------
Information sought:
The appellant's hand was broken on 01/04/2010 she went to GTP Hospital to get it plastered. After
removing the plaster the hospital authorities told the appellant that her bones are not yet aligned. Hence
she needs operation and blood for which Rs.5000/- should be deposited in the Hospital. Since the
appellant is a BPL Card holder, she wants free treatment hence she filed the RTI application seeking
following questions:
1) Details of facilities provided for the BPL Card Holders.
2) Whether the operation facilities to the BPL Card Holders are provided free of cost. If yes, then
copy of the relevant procedures/guidelines.
3) Whether any kind of payment is needed to be deposited for the any kind of operation in the Govt.
Hospital. If yes, then details of the same.
4) Copy of the guidelines/procedure under which the doctors demanded ` 5000 from the
Complainant.
5) If there was no such guideline then whether the department will initiate any kind of action against
the errant doctors along with details of date.
6) The date by which the Complainant will be given free treatment.
Reply of PIO:
Not replied.
Grounds for First Appeal:
Not Appealed.
Grounds for Complaint:
Non-receipt of information from the PIO within the stipulated time.
Relevant Facts
emerging during Hearing:
The following were present
Complainant: Absent.
Respondent: Dr. PK Malik (DMS/Administration)
The PIO claims that the RTI application of 19/05/2010 never reached the PIO. He states that when he
received the RTI application along with the notice of hearing from the Commission from the Appellant on
04/08/2010, he immediately provided the information to the Appellant on 05/08/2010 by speed post
receipt no ED 998664911IN. Since they were two addresses given by the Appellant the PIO has again sent
another copy of the information by Speed Post receipt No ED 998670470IN on 14/08/2010.
It appears that information has been sent.
The PIO informs the Commission that the hospital does not charge anything for any operation or
treatment. However, certain orthopedic implants are not in stock and in such situations the patient is asked
to pay for the orthopedic implant. However, the Arogyanidhi fund is available with the Ministry of Health
of Delhi government which provided assistance to BPL patients for procurement of orthopedic implants.
The Commission directs the PIO to ensure that the board is put up prominently in Hindi in the hospital to
inform the patients about the availability of such funds.
The Commission under its powers under section 25 (5) of the RTI Act also directs the Secretary (Health
and Family Welfare, Govt. of NCT of Delhi) to ensure that boards are put up prominently in Hindi in all
the Delhi government hospitals about the facility available to BPL patients from the Arogyanidhi fund.
These will also give information about how to apply and where to apply.
Decision:
The Complaint is disposed.
The Commission under its powers under section 25 (5) of the RTI Act also directs the Secretary (Health
and Family Welfare, Govt. of NCT of Delhi) to ensure that boards are put up prominently in Hindi in all
the Delhi government hospitals about the facility available to BPL patients from the Arogyanidhi fund.
These will also give information about how to apply and where to apply. This direction will be complied
with before 05 October 2010. A compliance report will be emailed to the Commission to
rtimonitoring@gmail.com before 10 October 2010.
This decision is announced in open chamber.
Notice of this decision be given free of cost to the parties.
Any information in compliance with this Order will be provided free of cost as per Section 7(6) of RTI Act.
Shailesh Gandhi
Information Commissioner
09 September 2010
CC: The Secretary
Health & Family Welfare Department
Govt. of NCT of Delhi
A Wing, 9th Floor, Delhi Sachivalaya,
New Delhi - 110002
(In any correspondence on this decision, mention the complete decision number.) (GJ)