Thursday, April 7 2005 19:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chennai: The Madras High Court today (Apr 7, 2005) admitted a petition filed by the Kanchi Mutt for a direction to Tamil Nadu authorities to issue an 'Essentiality Certificate' (EC) for the purpose of establishing a new medical college in the name of Kanchi Shankaracharya in the city.

Admitting the petition, Justice K P Sivasubramanian issued notice to the secretary of the State Health and Family Welfare department, returnable in two weeks.

The mutt contended it had applied for the EC on July 6, 2003, as a trust run by it wanted to start a medical college 'Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research' in the city and a teaching hospital under the auspices and guidance of Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Mahavidyalaya (Deemed University) sponsored by a charitable trust of the Kanchi Mutt.

The petitioner said that at this juncture, Tamil Nadu Hospitals in the city's Sankara Nagar was facing financial problems and the trust cleared its dues and took it over for the purpose of establishing a State-of-the-art hospital as part of the medical college.

The Mutt said that following its application for the EC, the authorities concerned constituted an inspection committee, which inspected the site on August 25, about a month later and submitted a report.

The State authorities in a September 15, 2003 letter pointed out seven deficiencies and directed the petitioner to rectify them.

In a letter dated September 22, 2003, the Trust had told the authorities that steps would be taken to rectify the shortcomings at the appropriate time. The Mutt contended that it had also complied with all requirements of the Medical Council of India.

Stating that it had invested Rs 62.61 crore on land and buildings and another Rs 32.53 crore on medical equipment for the college and hospital, the petitioner contended that all the requirements for establishment of the medical college were made at the instance of the State authorities at a heavy cost.

Besides, the petitioner said, it had incurred an expenditure of Rs 15.21 crore, as on January 31 last towards pre-operation expenses, maintenance of the hospital, and payment of salary to faculty members, doctors, and para medical staff among other things.

The petitioner said that denial or further delay in issuance of EC by the respondent would result in serious financial loss to the trust.

The trust said that, as there was no response from the authority concerned it had moved the High Court, which on August 18 last had directed the authorities to make all efforts to complete the fresh inspection before September 24.

When the matter came up before the court the Government informed the court that orders would be passed within two weeks, following which the petition was disposed of.

However, since the Government was yet to pass orders and the trust wanted to commence the college from the 2005-06 academic year the fresh petition was filed for a direction to the Government to issue the EC.