HC gives Haryana 6 weeks to issue tender for artificial limbs to boy
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Haryana government to issue a tender within six weeks for artificial limbs to a Panipat boy who lost both his arms and a leg due to electrocution in 2011.
In 2016, myoelectric prostheses worth ₹50 lakh were given to Raman, who was five at the time of mishap. He had suffered 100% disability after coming in contact with a sagging 11KV transmission line passing over the roof of his house.
Myoelectric prostheses are externally powered artificial limbs that one controls with the electrical signals generated naturally by his/her own muscles. However, these prostheses have become redundant now.
The order came from the high court bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar on an application moved by Anil Malhotra, an amicus curiae in the case, who had apprised the court of the boy who was without artificial limbs for one year now. His upper implants practically ceased to be of any use as they did not fit him due to his physical growth over the years. These limbs were to be replaced in 2021. He had also
raised issues with regard to authorities not adhering to court directions on the selection of artificial limbs to be given to the boy. Now, director general, health services, Haryana, has been asked to constitute a team of experts in orthopaedics, who would consult specialists from premier medical facilities such as All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and then make a decision about the best viable artificial limbs for the boy.
The HC bench said that consultation be held through videoconferencing in view of Covid-19 and tender would be issued within six weeks. The court also directed that the exercise of replacing limbs cannot be undertaken once in every five years as decided earlier as the boy is of growing age and would substantially grow over the next few years. It would be incumbent upon the state and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN) to undertake the exercise afresh as and when he outgrows the limbs now provided, the bench directed.
It was in 2013 that the high court had awarded compensation to the boy and also issued directions to provide him artificial limbs as it was found that he suffered due to negligence of authorities. The matter went up to the Supreme Court, which in 2014 had upheld the decision that UHBVN would pay ₹60 lakh to Raman. Of the amount, ₹30 lakh was to be kept in a fixed deposit till the boy turns 21.