- (1.) The case before this Court not only typifies callous and chronic indifference of the respondent Punjab State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as "the Board") towards an employee who gave the best years of his life to the Board, it is also indicative of an indefensible resistance offered by the Board to the plea made by the petitioner for reimbursement of the medical expenditure incurred by him and also his wife on their out door treatment which was preceded by hospitalization. This Court, as sentinel of the rights of citizens, public servants or the non, cannot afford to slumber when the facts evident are revelatory of a sinful attitude on the part of the quarters concerned.
(2.) It is beyond the pale of controversy that the petitioner, a 1958 pass out from I.I.T., Kharagpur with degree of B.Tech. (Hons.) in Civil Engineering, joined as Assistant Engineer (Civil) on 1.8.1959 and moved out, on superannuation, as Chief Engineer on 31.1.1993. After having undergone a bypass surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (hereinafter referred to as "AIIMS") in June, 1995, wife of the petitioner was discharged on 11.7.1995. Thereafter, she had been under continuous treatment at the AIIMS and also the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (hereinafter referred to as "the PGI"). At the latter institution, she was referred to as out door patient ticket No. 640-8612 CVC86126, 68862 CC 62862-3599994 etc. Over there, she has been getting treatment on the basis of the discharge slip issued by the AIIMS.
(3.) The petitioner, a chronic patient of Diabetes, had been under treatment at the PGI ever since 3.8.1998. On 29.12.1999, petitioner had gone to the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh to visit a relation hospitalized over there. While being at the premises, petitioner had an attack of right side paralysis and also lost speech. He had to be hospitalized on 29.12.1999 itself. Though he was discharged, as an indoor patient, on 12.1.2000, "he was advised treatment as outdoor patient and physiotherapy treatment". It was Diabetes which led to the attack afore- mentioned. Apart there from, he also "had the attack of prostrate and also he became psychic.";