Srinagar: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in the J&K High Court has sought attention to problems faced by cancer patients, disruption in essential supplies due to lockdown since August 5 and other issues besides restoration of phone and internet services.
The court of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal listed the hearing for Nov 2, while asking the respondents to check if any of the issues raised were being heard by the Supreme Court.
The PIL has been filed by the NGO, Centre for Peace and Protection of Human rights, through its chairman M M Shuja.
The court was told by Assistant Solicitor General of India (ASGI), Tahir Majid Shamsi that some of the issues raised in the litigation were already before the Supreme Court.
The litigation filed through Advocate Shafkat Nazir said that treatment of patients suffering from lethal diseases like cancer was affected as patients were unable to reach the hospitals.
“Even the drugs consumed by the patients are only available at Oncology departments of the two hospitals,” the advocate pleaded.
“There is no proper mechanism in place to ferry those patients who cannot afford travel or cannot due to tense circumstances,” the litigation pointed out.
It pleaded for SRTC bus services to be pressed for such patients to be carried to hospitals.
The PIL also claimed that supply of essential commodities in the valley was affected by the lockdown after August 5, as ration depots “do not open regularly” and price control mechanism were not in place. “The black marketers are enjoying the present situation and are looting common people at will,” it said.
The PIL asked for details of supplies to be sought from departments of Drugs and Food Supplies, especially in rural areas.
The petitioner also sought attention to “unabated illegal constructions going on in Srinagar, Ganderbal, and Bandipora and even at tourist destinations”.
Pleading for restoring of mobile phone and internet services, the petition stated that students, business community and professionals were badly hit by the communications blockade.

NUSRAT SIDIQ