The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the State government to decide on payment of compensation to families of thsoe who died owing to a lack of oxygen supply at Chamarajanagar district hospital early this month.
A State-level COVID-19 monitoring committee, consisting two retired judges of the High Court, of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority had in its report to the court recommended payment of compensation while pointing out that 24 patients had died between May 2 and 3.
The court also said that it will consider issuing direction on payment of ad hoc compensation if the government is unable take a stand on paying compensation as the committee has clearly pointed out that patients had died due to lack of supply of oxygen besides elaborating on the causes for lack of oxygen supply.
The court also pointed out the death audit report of the hospital itself had found that three patients had died due to lack of oxygen.
A Special Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar, said that first priority is to pay at least ad hoc compensation to the families of victims, and later to focus on the actions to be initiated against those involved in the Chamarajanagar district administration and the hospital for their failure.
As the report prima facie pointed out manipulation by tampering of LMO register maintained from April 29, 2021 and two oxygen consumption registers maintained by the bio-medical engineer, the Bench directed the Chief Secretary to keep the records seized on the directions of the court in his custody.
