Jignesh Mevani moves HC for direction to use MLA funds for Covid-19 facilities

Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani has moved Gujarat High Court seeking direction from the government to allow him to spend MLA funds to set up coronavirus testing facilities, oxygen plants, and buying Remdesivir, among other drugs used for treating infected persons.

Mevani had first approached the state government which has not yet responded to his demand.

The MLA from the Vadgam constituency in Banaskantha district, Mevani has filed a civil application in the high court, saying that every MLA (member of legislative assembly) is allocated funds for utilisation in the welfare of people under his or her constituency. The petition says that MLA has to recommend a public work for which funds are utilised by the district administration with the prescribed procedure as mentioned in the rules and regulations for utilization of MLA funds.

"The applicant is an MLA from Vadgam constituency and every year One crore and fifty lakhs rupees [Rs 1.50 crore] are allocated. The applicant has addressed a letter on 26/04/2021 to the respondent Chief Secretary, state of Gujarat to spend Rs. 30 lakhs for setting up an oxygen plant in his constituency from out of the MLA funds, to spend Rs. 10 lakhs for acquiring ventilators and further amount of Rs. 10 lakhs to be spent for purchasing Remdesivir Injection and Tocilizumab Injections," Mevani has stated in the petition filed through advocate Anand Yagnik. The matter is likely to be heard on May 5 in the special division bench which is hearing a suo moto public interest litigation.

Mevani has stated that his "constituency has primary health centres and community health centres. However, Covid treatment is not possible because oxygen, ventilators and necessary injections are not available. There is no private hospital in the constituency of the applicant where oxygen and ventilators are available."

The Vadgam MLA has also alleged that "Palanpur civil hospital is a district hospital of district Banaskantha and is owned by the government but same is given on lease to a co-operative body to start a medical college and same is completely controlled by a leader coming from present political dispensation of the State of Gujarat.

The hospital is not performing its obligation any further as a government hospital but is run as a private hospital with a political objective and purpose. As a result, people of the district and applicant’s constituency also suffer."

Meanwhile, Gujarat reported 14,327 new positive cases on Thursday while 180 deaths taking the total to 5,53,172 and 7,010 respectively. Number of active cases rose to 1,37,794, out of which 572 patients were on ventilator support.