Taking a strict stance against the institutions overcharging for Covid-19 tests and treatment, Deputy Commissioner Jalandhar Ghanshyam Thori has ordered the registration of an FIR against Atulaya Lab, located at Green Park.
Divulging the details, the deputy commissioner said that a complaint was received against the lab for charging Rs. 1500 for conducting RT-PCR test for Covid-19 whereas the state government has capped the test price as Rs. 900 per test.
The complainant in his complaint had also mentioned that the lab didn’t provide him a receipt for the payment it received as testing charges. He further stated that the complainant along with his complaint also submitted video evidence against the lab, which was thoroughly examined by the officials.
Upon receiving the complaint, the Deputy Commissioner then marked an enquiry into the whole matter to the Public Grievance Officer (PGO), who in his inquiry report had found the allegations of overcharging to be true prima-facie.
Keeping in view the enquiry report of PGO, the Deputy Commissioner had written to Commissioner of Police Jalandhar for lodging an FIR against the lab under Indian Epidemic Act, Disaster Management Act, section 188 of IPC, and under other prevailing laws after a thorough probe.
The lab as per information had also charged Rs 1800 to Rs 2000 from public especially NRIs. The DC had also formed a four-member committee to initiate a thorough investigation against the lab to find out in how many cases it has overcharged for Covid-19 related tests.
Further, he directed the committee to also recommend cancelling registration of this lab.
In order to encourage private hospitals to cater to Mild Sickness cases also, the government has also fixed per day admission rates for such cases at Rs. 6,500, Rs. 5,500 and Rs. 4,500 respectively adding he said that for special isolation rooms the patients may be charged maximum per day per patient Rs. 4000.