Chamarajanagar Tragedy : Karnataka High Court Directs State To Consider Suggestions Made By Inquiry Panel On Oxygen Shortage

The Karnataka High Court has directed the state government to consider the suggestions made by the committee of Karnataka State Legal Service Authority, headed by retired judge A N Venugopal Gowda, in its fact finding report submitted to the court in relation to the incident of 24 people dying at a hospital in Chamarajanagar district due to shortage of Oxygen.

The bench said "We are of the view that apart from the conclusion made in the report other suggestions made by the committee should be considered by the state government immediately."

The court had appointed the committee on May 5 and directed it to submit a report by Monday. Today, the court took on record the report and directed the member secretary of KSLSA to supply the report to all parties so that they can be heard on it tomorrow.

In its order the bench noted apart from conclusion about the incident there are important recommendations made by the committee such as, providing minimum buffer stock of oxygen. Vehicles carrying LMO should be installed by GPS. It is observed that one bottling plant in Mysuru city is non functional. State will take immediate steps to revive the functioning. Vehicles carrying Liquid Medical Oxygen should be installed by GPS. It is also observed that one bottling plant in Mysuru city is non functional. "State government will take immediate steps to revive its functioning," the court said.

The state government also filed a memo stating that the order of May 3, appointing an IAS officer to investigate the death of 24 persons at Chamarajanagar incident will not be given effect to.

Availability of Remdesivir

Additional Solicitor General M B Nargund informed the court that as per directions of the court, the central government had increased the quota for supply of remdesivir medicine to the state.

He said "As on May 6, a total of 3,01,000 vials were allotted to the state of Karnataka. As per a decision taken on May 7, the quota has been increased to 5,75,000 vials per day, upto May 16. The working of it would be around 40,000 per day. Moreover, on May 14 or 15, a fresh decision will be taken for revising the allotment quota."

Nargund also pointed to the court Central government has issued a statement saying that remdesivir should be used only in moderate and severe cases, but incidentally it is not so. He said "Some of our hospitals are administering remdesivir as aspirin tablets."

The court agreed with the submission made and orally said "Use of this drug, now some kind of audit is required, when is it to be used and when is it necessary." In its order the court said "ASG as well as the applicant in IA 4, 2021 submitted about the unnecessary and excessive use of the said drug. There are protocols laid down by the Government of India about use of said drug."

Accordingly it opined "Now that quota has been substantially increased from May 8, the state government must seriously consider auditing the use of the drug as well oxygen, in the state. If some hospitals are unnecessarily using the drug the state government will have to step in."