The Aurangabad Bench of The Bombay High Court’s on 25^th May 2021 took serious note of at least 113 faulty ventilators out of the 150 ventilators that were provided to the Marathwada region through the funds attained by the PM Cares Fund. The Court directed the Union of India to state the remedial measures it is planning to take regarding the same. The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) while rejecting the ventilators cited the reason that the patient was becoming hypoxic when connected to the ventilators which were funded from PM Cares, therefore the hospital did not unbox the remaining 37 ventilators after 113 were found defective.

The court stated that the Government must realise that they have supplied ventilators, which are of inferior quality. They must let that slot go back and replace them with better and good quality ventilators. If the purpose of the PM cares fund is to be provide ventilators, then such ventilators must be worthy of medical use, and if they are not worthy of medical use, then it’s nothing more than a box. The court also directed the State and Union to take action against the company JYOTI CNC, which was responsible for the manufacturing of these ventilators. Justice Ravindra Ghuge said that the said company should not get away with this. It’s the state ex-chequers money which is not bounty to be distributed

On the other hand, the bench also acknowledged the fact that all the 74 ventilators that were supplied independently by various industrialists like Cosmo films, Real Tyre, Bajaj Auto limited, Garware Polyester Ltd, Taiyo Kagaku India Pvt Ltd, Hindalco Ltd, and etc. are perfectly operational and are flawless.

The Supreme Court also asked the politicians and eminent personalities from the political field to refrain from speaking about matters in which they don’t any expertise as it is distasteful. The Hon’ble Court also took notice of the newspaper reports of some people’s representatives who were jumping into the issue of the faulty ventilators supplied through the PM cares fund. The Hon’ble Court also requested that political colour must be avoided to this aspect since the ventilators are believed to be live-saving instruments, and the slightest of non-functioning, can put the life of the patient at risk.

– Animesh Raizada, Intern