Bengaluru: The Karnataka Government yesterday informed the High Court that it has decided to give Rs. 2 lakh compensation immediately for time being to each family of 24 victims of Chamarajanagar oxygen tragedy. Advocate General Prabhuling K. Navadagi made submission to this effect yesterday before the Special Division Bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Aravind Kumar.

The Court accepted the assurance and said, “We hope and trust the assurance is acted upon immediately.” It added, “However, the issue of whether there were only 24 deaths due to lack of oxygen or there were more deaths and adequacy of compensation will have to be gone into.”

A total of 24 patients died on May 2 and 3 in Chamarajanagar District Hospital due to shortage of oxygen. Following the directions issued by the Court, the Committee, constituted by the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and headed by former Judge of High Court Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda, submitted a report confirming the deaths due to shortage of oxygen.

Attributing the tragedy to the callousness of the District Administration, the Committee also recommended compensation to the families of victims. Taking note of the recommendations, the Court had directed the State Government to take a stand on payment of compensation.

While directing the Govt. to immediately release compensation, the Bench said that it would consider at a later stage the issue of adequacy of compensation and whether only 24 people died due to oxygen shortage.