Refusal to Give Copy of Report Submitted to the Government of Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital

The office of Deputy Director Health Services, Thane Division, Government of Maharashtra, has refused to provide the 22 December, 2017, inspection visit report to RTI Activist Anil Galgali stating that it is not comprehensive. A very serious matter as it seems to be an attempt  clearly not only to shield but indirectly support rampant corrupt practices by Government inaction.

Dr.Ratna Raokhande, Deputy Director Health, Thane Division had submitted her inspection visit report to the Government of Maharashtra. On an RTI query submitted by noted RTI activist Anil Galgali requesting for a copy of the said report , the chief administrative officer Mahesh Bodale has refused to provide the same on the ground that under the 2015 RTI Act Section 8 (f) "information which relates to personal information the disclosure of which has not relationship to any public activity or interest, or which would cause unwarranted invasion of the privacy of the individual unless the Central Public Information Officer or the State Public Information Officer or the appellate authority, as the case may be, is satisfied that the larger public interest justifies the disclosure of such information: Provided that the information, which cannot be denied to the Parliament or a State Legislature shall not be denied to any person."

According to Anil Galgali, while complaints have been increasing against the Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Lodhivali,  there seems to be inaction on part of the Government and the report has been deliberately hidden from public for the past seven months. Anil Galgali has demanded by his letter to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis and Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare  Deepak Sawant to make the report public and act against Chief Officer for refusing the information sought under RTI.

It was expected that immediately on submission of the report the Government should have acted. Now questions are being raised as to what is hidden in the report. The Government must make the same public and act without delay in the interest of public health, said Galgali.