Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 5 (PTI) The KSHRC has directed the state government to pay Rs 5 lakh in compensation to a patient who was trapped inside a lift for nearly 42 hours at a medical college hospital, citing gross negligence and serious dereliction of duty by the authorities.
In its order, Kerala State Human Rights Commission’s Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas said the compensation should be paid to Ravindran Nair, a native of Pongumoodu here, within two months.
The government may subsequently recover the amount from those responsible, in accordance with the law, the commission said.
It also said the state is free to initiate legal action against the company entrusted with servicing the lift if any lapse is found on its part.
The commission directed the state-run medical college hospital superintendent to provide Ravindran Nair with all necessary treatment, including psychological care if required, free of cost for the physical and mental trauma suffered by him.
A compliance report should be submitted to the commission after the disbursal of the compensation, the order said.
According to the commission, there was no dispute that Nair was trapped in the malfunctioning lift from 11.15 am on July 13 last year until 6 am on July 15.
It noted that the lift had neither been locked nor had any warning notice been displayed despite being faulty. The medical college also failed to ensure the presence of a lift operator during prescribed hours.
Terming the incident extremely serious, the commission said thousands of patients visit the medical college every day, and the victim’s life was at risk, with his survival being a matter of sheer luck.
Justice Thomas said there was gross negligence on the part of the officials concerned and that the authorities also bore responsibility for an incident that could have resulted in loss of life.
While holding that the complainant was entitled to compensation, the commission observed that the amount originally sought was not reasonable and fixed the compensation at Rs 5 lakh.
The case was registered on its own by the commission based on media reports, apart from a separate complaint filed by Ravindran Nair himself, it added. PTI LGK SSK
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