In a sharply worded hearing, the Kerala High Court zeroed in on the State government’s lapses in overseeing the structural integrity of public hospitals after a section of the Kottayam Medical College building gave way. Rather than dismissing the writ petition on account of its haphazard drafting, the bench chose to press the authorities for clear-cut answers on maintenance routines, accountability protocols and emergency preparedness in government health institutions.
Though the court chided the petition’s author for sloppy presentation, it made clear that formal flaws wouldn’t eclipse the weightier issue at hand: patient and staff safety in ageing medical facilities. The State has been ordered to file detailed responses to a series of pointed questions—ranging from inspection records to remedial action plans—within four weeks, underscoring the judiciary’s resolve to keep a vigilant eye on hospital infrastructure.
