mumbai miffed with the state government over nonfunctioning of the state mental health authority smha bombay high court on wednesday directed the principal secretary health to be present in courtit is quite clear to us that the authority which was established in october 2018 has remained nonfunctional said justices nitin jamdar and gauri godse they directed smhas next meeting be held before january 9 and that the state chief secretary attend it so that issues highlighted by the court can be resolved the judges were hearing a pil by city psychiatrist dr harish shetty about cured patients languishing in mental hospitals he urged implementation of the act compliance affidavits were filed by the principal secretary and smhas ceobut the judges were dismayed that only a few of the required meetings were held and no statutory reports filed the smha fund set up in september was bereft of funds what is the use of holding meetings if there are no funds how is the authority to function without funds asked justice jamdarstates advocate manish pabale said six meetings were held since smha was established but the judges noted that the act requires smha to hold four meetings in a year the ceos affidavit said activities under national health mission are construed as activities under the act they include awareness camps at schools and colleges they are almost identical activities said pabaleconsidering the lack of assistance pabale received the judges directed the principal secretary to be present on january 12 so that the court is apprised of initiatives taken by the state dr shettys advocate pranati mehra said there was no response after she wrote to the ceo that the mou executed by the state with magsaysay awardee dr bharat watwanis ngo to reunite cured patients with families only covers destitute patients the judges directed smha to take it up at the meeting and appointed senior advocate j p sen as amicus curiae to assist the court