BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday formed a judicial commission to inquire into the fire mishap at the trauma care ICU of SCB medical college and hospital.
According to an official notification issued by the Home department, a judicial commission of inquiry has been constituted under the provisions of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 to investigate the circumstances leading to the fire in the hospital’s Trauma Care ICU.
The government has appointed retired district judge Laxmidhar Biswal as the head of the commission. The commission will conduct a detailed inquiry into the cause of the fire and examine the sequence of events that led to the mishap.
The terms of reference include determining the exact cause of the fire, assessing whether there was any negligence or lapse on the part of authorities responsible for hospital administration and safety, and evaluating the preparedness of the hospital to deal with emergencies of such nature. It will also examine the adequacy of fire safety measures and emergency response systems in place at the hospital and suggest steps to prevent recurrence of similar incidents in the future.
The notification states that the commission is required to submit its report to the state government within 60 days from the date of publication of the order in the Odisha Gazette.
The headquarters of the commission will be at Cuttack. The judicial panel is free to hold inquiry at any other places as may be considered necessary for the purpose of inquiry, the notification stated.