Chamarajanagar Oxygen Tragedy: Victim's Families Finally Receive Compensation Following Committee Report

The Karnataka government announced ₹ 2 lakh compensation each to the families of 24 COVID-19 patients who died after the Chamarajanagar district hospital ran out of oxygen supply on May 2 and 3.

After the COVID-19 Monitoring Committee of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority submitted its report to the High Court on 12 May, it recommended compensating the victims' families. The announcement on Saturday came after the meeting was held.

The committee was headed by Justice AN Venugopala Gowda. In the report submitted to the court, it was confirmed that 24 patients died due to lack of oxygen.

In contrary to this, the state government had earlier claimed only three of the deaths occurred due to the shortage of oxygen.

The committee report also pointed out the lack of leadership quality by the hospital officials and the Chamarajanagar district commissioner.

"The Dean of Chamarajanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) and the in-charge district surgeon, a microbiologist, did not exhibit leadership quality and failed to efficiently marshal available resources to save lives," the report stated as reported by The Indian Express

The report further mentioned that the Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar, as chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee, miserably failed to guide and supervise the crisis situation arising out of extreme demand for oxygen. It also stated that he indulged in an unsavoury blame game accusing the District Commissioner of Mysuru of causing hindrance for oxygen supply without any basis.

After analysing all official records, the committee submitted its report to the Karnataka High Court, based on which the compensation was announced.

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