Chamarajanagar oxygen toll may be higher than 24: Karnataka high court panel

BENGALURU: The toll due to lack of oxygen at the Chamarajanagar district hospital on the intervening night of May 2/3, 2021 could be higher than 24, said a three-member panel appointed by the Karnataka high court.
While confirming that 24 Covid-19 patients died due to lack of oxygen in the district hospital that night as oxygen was not available for four hours from 10.30pm on May 2, the panel, headed by retired HC judge Justice AN Venugopala Gowda, noted that 62 died in the hospital between May 4, 2021 and 6.15am on May 10, 2021 and at least 36 were in-patients on May 2.
“The death of these 36 inpatients could be attributed to non-availability of oxygen supply during the night of May 2 and early hours of May 3,” the panel added. The report was submitted to the court in a sealed cover on Tuesday. On Wednesday, the court ordered copies to be served on all advocates and said it would consider the report on Thursday.
While pointing to the absence of guidelines that day, the panel noted that recording case-sheets maintained by doctors and nurses at the hospital on the two dates appears to be sketchy.
The panel absolved the Mysuru deputy commissioner of any wrongdoing in the matter.
“The deputy commissioner, Chamarajanagar has not exhibited the dynamism and leadership qualities expected of a district head in a dire crisis situation...,” the committee said. “ As chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee, he has miserably failed to guide and supervise the crisis situation arising out of the extreme demand for oxygen. On the contrary, he has indulged in an unsavoury blame game accusing the DC of Mysore of causing hindrance for oxygen supply without any basis,” it said.
It noted that though refilling plants on which the district hospital was dependent for oxygen requirements are situated in the revenue district of Mysuru, which comes under the jurisdiction of Mysuru DC, on that basis alone it cannot be said that the DC at Mysuru had any control or regulatory powers over supply of oxygen to other districts or consumers.