Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday issued a set of time-bound directions to ensure that a crèche facility on its premises becomes functional within a month, noting that infrastructure readiness cannot be allowed to remain incomplete any further.
A division bench headed by the Chief Justice Sujoy Paul recorded that, as per a report filed by the High Court administration, the crèche was ready for use, subject to the resolution of three outstanding issues—installation of aluminium grills on windows, deployment of adequate staff, and publication of approved operational guidelines on the court’s website.
Taking note of submissions made on behalf of the High Court administration and the State, the bench directed that the approved guidelines for operating the crèche, already cleared by the then Chief Justice in April 2022, be uploaded on the website within three weeks.
The Public Works Department was ordered to ensure that aluminium grills are installed wherever required within two weeks.
The court further placed responsibility on the state government to provide two doctors and one staff nurse for the crèche, in terms of its earlier sanction. It directed that the medical staff must report to the High Court administration at least one day before the crèche opens.
The Registry was instructed to ensure that the crèche becomes fully functional within 30 days from the date of the order.
During the hearing, the petitioners also pressed for the establishment of crèche facilities across district courts in the State. The High Court administration sought three weeks’ time to file a fresh affidavit detailing the district-wise status of such facilities, which the Court permitted.