Relatives of a garbage collection contractor of the Belagavi City Corporation have complained that the contractor died of COVID-19-related causes as he could not get a ventilator in time.

The contractor was admitted to the government hospital on Monday after he felt unwell. He was shifted to the intensive care unit where delay in supplying him oxygen led to his death, they said. This amounts to medical negligence, his relatives told journalists at the district hospital here on Tuesday.

“Some doctors told us that there were only 11 ventilators in the COVID-19 ward that has over 350 beds. We asked them why there was no scarcity of ventilators for the rich who were getting all the benefits? They had no answer,” said the brother of the deceased.

Deputy Commissioner M.G. Hiremath said that he would order an inquiry into the issue. He also said that the district administration would request the State government to supply more ventilators to the district.

Meanwhile, a woman pourakarmika working on contract basis was among those who died. She used to clean the streets in ward number 31. She was admitted to hospital on Sunday. She died of difficulty in breathing and other complications. She used to work for the contractor who died of COVID-19-related causes. Her family members said that now that her employer was dead, they had nowhere to go to seek compensation.