Bangalore: Responding to Upa Lokayukta G. Patri Basavanagoud's letter, the State Government has brought four autonomous institutions in Bangalore and one each in Hubli and Gulbarga under the purview of the Lokayukta Act.

According to an official press release, the autonomous institutions brought under the Lokayukta Act by a notification on May 2 are the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiology, the Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health, the Institute of Nephro-urology, all in Bangalore; the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences, Hubli; and the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences, Bellary.

In September 2005 Mr. Basavanagoud wrote a letter to the Principal Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, stating that the autonomous institutions needed to brought under the purview of the Lokayukta Act.

In the letter, he said the autonomous institutions, which are registered under the Karnataka Societies Act, were catering for the needs of thousands of people. As no notification had been issued to bring these institutions under the purview of the Lokayukta Act, the Lokayukta and the Upa Lokayukta were handicapped in initiating any investigation against employees of the institutions. This point was raised by an official of an autonomous institution who wanted the investigation launched against him quashed.

Moreover, Mr. Basavanagoud said, the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Health Department was also not empowered to look into deficiencies in the autonomous institutions. People approaching these institutions for treatment had no way of complaining about deficiencies.

Minister's initiative

This letter and other letters written by the Upa Lokayukta about hospitals were brought to the notice of Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok during his visit to the Lokayukta's office.

"I am glad that Mr. Ashok has acted on my letter... " Mr. Basavanagoud told The Hindu on Wednesday.

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