Telangana High Court seeks State response on drought preparedness

Legal Correspondence,

Hyderabad:

1. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice P. Sam Koshy and Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao of the Telangana High Court on Thursday gave time to the State government to respond to allegations of inadequate preparedness to tackle drought-like conditions in several parts of the State. The government sought time to file its counter affidavit in an interlocutory application seeking judicial intervention for assessing the drought situation and ensuring relief to the affected population. The Court was dealing with PIL filed by Dr. Cheruku Sudhakar and another. The petitioners brought to the Court’s notice the alleged shortage of drinking water and the hardships faced by people, farmers and other vulnerable sections due to deficient rainfall. They contended that the situation warranted a coordinated response from the State and Central authorities under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. The petitioners referred to reports indicating a 24 per cent deficiency in cumulative rainfall in Telangana between June and October 2026. They also pointed out that several mandals had been classified as drought-affected and sought an official assessment of the actual ground situation. Through the application, they sought directions to the authorities to undertake a scientific, district-wise assessment of drought conditions, disclose the disaster management and contingency plans, and ensure the supply of drinking water and essential commodities. They also sought the appointment of special officers at the district level to supervise relief operations and monitor the situation.The State government sought time to file its counter affidavit.

2. The Telangana High Court has registered a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over the fire at the neonatal ward of RIMS Hospital, Adilabad, and the ceiling collapse at MGM Hospital, Warangal, following a report submitted by Hyderabad-based advocate Nallapu Manideep to the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. The CJI forwarded the report to the High Court for consideration as a PIL in view of the alleged violations of the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice P. Sam Koshy and Justice Suddala Chalapathi Rao directed the Telangana government and the Union Health Ministry to file their counter-affidavits in the matter. The report highlighted two incidents involving government hospitals in September. At RIMS Hospital in Adilabad, a fire broke out in the Special Newborn Care Unit, reportedly resulting in the deaths of three newborns, while 28 other infants were evacuated by hospital staff. The incident was suspected to have been caused by an air-conditioner short circuit. In another incident at MGM Hospital in Warangal, portions of the concrete ceiling and false ceiling collapsed in the Aarogyasri ward, injuring a paralysed patient, attendants and sanitation workers. The report raised concerns over the safety standards, infrastructure and staffing arrangements in government hospitals and contended that such lapses posed a threat to the lives of patients, particularly those belonging to economically weaker sections who depend on public healthcare facilities. Relying on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal, the PIL seeks independent technical inquiries into both incidents, a comprehensive safety and staffing audit of government hospitals across the State, and time-bound improvements to intensive care units and neonatal wards. It also seeks compensation and rehabilitation for the victims and a permanent monitoring mechanism to ensure compliance with hospital safety standards.