NHRC show-cause to Govt on monetary relief

BHUBANESWAR: THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served a show cause notice to Odisha Government asking why monetary compensation of `25,000 each should not be paid to 56 women who had undergone sterilisation at a camp in Angul district where doctors had used bicycle pump to inflate their abdomen three years ago.

Acting on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy, the apex human rights body has directed the Chief Secretary to respond to the show-cause notice within six weeks.
Tripathy alleged in his petitio that doctors at the sterilisation camp at Banarpal Community Health Centre (CHC) on December 28, 2014, had used bicycle pump in the absence of sophisticated surgical equipment for inflating abdomen. Normally, insufflators are used in a laparoscopic operation to pump carbon dioxide gas into the abdomen for regulating gas pressure during the operation, he stated.

Demanding a detailed probe, compensation for the victims and action against erring health officials, the petitioner had alleged the women rural parts of the State are being discriminated against their urban counterparts in sterilisation drive as insufflators are not available in many hospitals for which bicycle pumps are used as a substitute.

Even as Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) of Angul claimed that there was no complaint from the women, who underwent surgeries, as they all are availing post operative services and are satisfied, Tripathy pointed out the use of bicycle pumps amounts to serious violation of human rights as it puts the women at risk during sterilisation procedures.

The 56 women, 53 from Angul district and three from three other districts had availed the family planning services. “In this view of the matter, the Commission is of the opinion that the State Government is vicariously responsible for violation of human rights of 56 women and ought to pay suitable monetary relief to the victims,” the NHRC order stated.