Hospital Tragedy: Caught in political storm, minister, L-G order independent inquiries

Tribune News Service

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, May 26

The tragic fire at an East Delhi hospital late last night that claimed the lives of seven newborn babies, most of them barely a month old, has ignited a political firestorm here, with conflicting directives and orders coming from various authorities in this regard.

Amidst the grief and outrage, Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) VK Saxena have each initiated their own inquiries into the incident.

Following the mishap, Bharadwaj quickly issued directions to Health Secretary Deepak Kumar and Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Concerned by the Health Secretary’s “unresponsiveness”, Bharadwaj resorted to email communication, emphasising the urgency of the situation and demanding a speedy investigation to identify those responsible for the negligence.

Bharadwaj minced no words as he declared, “The culprits won’t be spared. Strict action will be taken against them. A case has been registered against the hospital owner for negligence.”

Hours after his order, the

L-G also issued his own set of directives. Taking to a microblogging site, the L-G announced an inquiry into the incident and instructed the Commissioner of Police to ensure all necessary measures were taken.

Expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the L-G pledged relief efforts and vowed to ensure that those found guilty were held accountable.

In the tweet he said, “Have asked the Chief Secretary to institute an inquiry into the tragic incident of fire in the children’s hospital in Delhi. Also instructed the Commissioner of Police to ensure all that is needful. My heartfelt condolences to bereaved families. I assure all relief and will ensure that guilty are brought to book.”

As the nation grapples with the tragedy, leaders from across the political spectrum, including President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have offered their condolences and support to the grieving families.

Additionally, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also deployed a team to probe the fire incident.

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