High Court lawyer flags administrative apathy, critical equipment deficit, and systemic violation of Article 21
NEW DELHI: Acting on a petition filed by High Court advocate Vinod Hindustani, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has officially registered a case (Diary No. 112620/CR/2026) to investigate severe administrative lapses, critical safety failures, and infrastructure deficits across state-run hospitals in Telangana. In his representation to the rights panel, Mr. Vinod Hindustani brought on record the fatal blaze in the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Adilabad, where three newborn infants were charred to death following an electrical short-circuit and unmaintained air-conditioning units. Describing the incident as an act of criminal institutional negligence, the petitioner noted that the 750-bed tertiary facility operates with merely three certified electricians to oversee vital power and cooling installations. The complainant further drew the Commission's attention to the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial (MGM) Hospital in Warangal, where an acute shortage of radiant warmers and incubators forces healthcare staff to accommodate two to three neonates in a single warmer amidst exposed wiring.
Beyond neonatal care hazards, Mr. Vinod Hindustani presented a comprehensive dossier detailing a broader pattern of systemic failure across the state’s healthcare network, highlighting recurring instances of collapsing ceiling plaster injuring patients, severe rodent infestations in ICUs where incapacitated patients have suffered rat bites, stray animals roaming freely inside wards, and a critical bed shortage forcing pregnant women and elderly patients to receive intravenous treatment on bare floors. The petition contended that such inhumane and hazardous conditions represent a direct infringement of the Right to Life and Health guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Taking the documented evidence on record, the NHRC admitted the matter for inquiry and is set to issue formal notices seeking Action Taken Reports from the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary (Health), Government of Telangana. The petitioner urged the Commission to mandate immediate third-party electrical, fire, and structural safety audits across all government medical colleges and district hospitals, initiate criminal accountability against defaulting officials, and secure interim compensation for the bereaved families.