Jhansi fire: Oppn alleges govt incompetency, 4-member panel to probe, CM Yogi says ₹5 lakh for families | 10 points

Jhansi hospital fire: Uttar Pradesh opposition party Samajwadi Party's MP Awadhesh Prasad has alleged that the Jhansi hospital fire, which killed 10 newborn babies, was due to the state government's incompetency, ANI reported on November 17.

Speaking to the news agency, Prasad condoled the deaths as “very sad and heart-rending”, and called out the government for its “incompetency” after the fire and divisive politics.

Meanwhile, a four-member committee has been appointed to probe the incident. And UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced a ₹lakh assistance for all affected families.

Jhansi Hospital Fire Top 10 Updates

• “It is a very sad and heart-rending incident. This incident happened due to the result of incompetency of the government. Now we demand from the government to investigate the whole incident and take action,” SP MP Prasad told ANI.
• “The Yogi government talks about division but the people of Ayodhya making us win, showing that the country will not run on religion and division. The state government is engaged in divisive politics rather than focusing on issues,” he added.
• Jhansi District Magistrate Avinash Kumar said seven bodies have been identified and handed over to their relatives. “The investigation to identify three others is still underway, and we are clarifying the situation regarding one child. We are in discussions with their relatives, and weight and measurements are being checked. Among the other children admitted, three are in serious condition. Prima facie, the situation seems to have arisen due to an electric short circuit,” Kumar told ANI.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has condoled the deaths in a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), writing, “The fire at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh is heart-wrenching. My deepest condolences to the families who have lost their innocent children. I pray to God to give them the strength to endure this immense loss. The local administration, under the state government's supervision, is making every effort to provide relief and conduct rescue operations.”
• CM Yogi Adityanath has announced financial assistance of ₹5 lakh for the families of the deceased newborns.
• The chief minister has also directed the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Jhansi to submit a report on the incident within 12 hours.

• The UP government on November 16 formed a four-member high-level committee to probe the Jhansi fire tragedy. The four members are from the UP health department, under the chairmanship of DG Medical Education, and will submit their detailed report in seven days.
• The fire is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit in an oxygen concentrator, which spread rapidly in the highly oxygenated environment of the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, leading to the deaths of 10 newborns.
• The inquiry committee will consist of the following officials: chairperson, director general, medical education and training, and its other members will be director (health), medical health services, additional director, electrical services, medical health services, and one officer nominated by the director general, fire services.
• Further, The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident.

(With inputs from ANI)