HC asks Punjab Chief Secy to file affidavit over power failure at Patiala hospital

The High Court has directed the Punjab Chief Secretary to file an affidavit explaining the lack of a power switch-over system at Patiala’s Rajindra Hospital, where electricity was disrupted during an operation on January 24.

Describing as "shocking" the absence of the system that allows immediate switch over to the power backup facility in case of electricity outage, the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel said the affidavit should also contain details of other public establishments equipped with the facility.

“It is not surprising but shocking to note that in a public establishment like a hospital, where electric breakup of even a few seconds can be fatal for certain patients, especially those on life support, the electric supply was disrupted for 13 minutes," the court said.

"Though the backup was available, the same took two minutes to be functional, because it had to be operated manually,” the Bench said hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Sunaina.

The Bench added that the report also made it clear that the automatic system for the switch over from a regular electricity supply to the generator set was unavailable despite Rajindra Hospital being “one of the premier hospitals” in the district.

“In these modern times, it is of utmost importance that hospitals ought to have automatic switch-over from the normal electric supply line to DG-set instantaneously,” it asserted.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the state counsel’s inability to justify the lack of an automatic switch-over system, the court took note of the contention that another power failure occurred on February 4.

The case will be taken up again on February 25.

The court on a previous date of hearing had directed the state government to clarify whether a backup power supply was available at the government hospital. The directive came amid concerns over the interruption of a cancer surgery due to the power failure in the hospital's emergency operation theatre.

The incident, captured in a video showing a doctor voicing concerns over the power tripping and its impact on patient safety, had sparked a debate on the health care infrastructure in Punjab. Advocate-petitioner Sunaina had also prayed for stringent measures to ensure reliable power supply to all government and semi-government hospitals, particularly in critical areas like emergency operation theatres. She had also urged the court to initiate disciplinary action against the officials responsible for the lapse.