Bhubaneswar: Following the tragic fire at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, on Monday that claimed 12 lives, the Opposition parties — the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress — staged a massive protest in the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday, demanding the immediate resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling on moral grounds.
As the Question Hour commenced, Opposition members stormed the well of the House with placards, raised slogans against the government, and pressed for the Minister’s resignation in front of Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy. Amid the uproar, the House was first adjourned till 12 noon and later until 4 p.m. as disruptions continued.
During Zero Hour, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik said his visit to the hospital revealed not merely a tragic accident but a glaring indication of deteriorating safety standards at the state’s premier healthcare institution. Offering condolences to the bereaved families, he remarked that patients who had come seeking treatment instead met a devastating end due to administrative negligence.
Calling for accountability, Patnaik asserted that while a judicial enquiry is welcome, it does not absolve the political leadership of responsibility. He demanded that Health Minister Mahaling resign immediately, taking moral responsibility for what he termed a catastrophic failure in safety oversight.
He also criticised the government’s announcement of Rs 25 lakh as ex-gratia for the victims’ families, calling it insufficient, and urged that the compensation be increased to Rs 50 lakh per deceased.
Responding to an Adjournment Motion, Minister Mahaling informed the House that the death toll in the SCB fire tragedy has climbed to 12. He stated that immediately after the incident, staff at the Trauma Care Centre acted swiftly, transferring 23 patients from the first-floor ICU and adjoining wards to other intensive care units.
According to the Minister, seven critically ill patients died at the Trauma Care Centre itself, while five others who had been shifted to different wards and ICUs later succumbed. He added that 11 medical personnel involved in rescue operations sustained injuries due to the intense blaze but are currently undergoing treatment and are out of danger.
Mahaling further noted that SCB Medical College has 85 rooms, with safety requirements identified for each. The Public Works Department has been tasked with implementing these measures. He maintained that in the room where the fire broke out, facilities such as a ramp, fire extinguisher, and hydrant were already in place, having been installed over the past six months under the current government.
With IANS inputs