Madras HC issues notice to MIOT hospital over 18 deaths in recent floods

The Madras High Court on Tuesday issued notice to MIOT Hospital chairman P V A Mohandas, the state government and the Chennai police commissioner, over the deaths of 18 patients at the hospital in the recent floods. 

The court issued the notice in response to a public interest litigation filed by ‘Traffic’ K R Ramaswamy - a self-appointed traffic policeman and social activist - that sought criminal proceedings to be initiated against the officials concerned for ‘willful negligence’.

On December 2 and 3, a breach in the banks of the Adyar river caused water to overflow and damaged the hospital’s power units, which allegedly caused the death of 18 patients in the hospital’s ICU.

Ramaswamy has said that a charge of culpable homicide should be imposed on those responsible for the deaths.

He has requested the court to direct the authorities to demolish an ‘unauthorised construction’ as termed by him, which was approved by the Chennai Corporation and the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, in contravention of rules that forbid construction of buildings within 100 metres of a waterbody, in this case the Adyar river.  

He further alleges that even though he filed a complaint against the hospital and others, no action was initiated by the police against them.

You can read our earlier report on the deaths here.