<p>The state government informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the death of two patients at the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) was not due to power failure. </p>.<p>Still, the government said it will have the deaths investigated and its report submitted to the Assembly amid protests by the Congress that accused the Bommai administration of negligence, leading to a ruckus in the House.</p>.<p>Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah raised the issue during Zero Hour to which Ballari district minister B Sriramulu responded on behalf of the government. </p>.<p>"On September 11, one Moula Hussain, 35, was admitted at 9.30 am with kidney and other chronic issues. He died on September 14. Chittemma, 30, was admitted after a snake bite, but she could not be saved as the poison was too much by the time she was admitted. These deaths did not happen because of power failure," Sriramulu said, adding that the medical superintendent’s report also had the same conclusion. </p>.<p>"I spoke to the VIMS director repeatedly last night. He said power comes and goes, that electricians are working on fixing old, damaged wires," the minister said, adding, "There’s a generator back-up for 1.5 hours. There’s also UPS for 1.5 hours."</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah, however, maintained that the patients died because of government negligence. "Yesterday morning, there was no power between 8 am and 10:30 am. This time, the generator wasn't working. Three patients in the ICU died due to lack of power supply and generator, because of which the ventilator wasn't working," he said, pinning the blame on the district administration, health department and the district minister. </p>.<p>The Assembly witnessed pandemonium after Law Minister JC Madhuswamy rose to object to the way Siddaramaiah's Zero Hour petition was worded. "You have said this is ‘government-sponsored murder’. How can you use such language? You haven’t read it. Otherwise, you’d not use this language," he said, angering Congress lawmakers.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah demanded an inquiry. "How can you play with people’s lives? It’s not acceptable," he said.</p>.<p>Madhuswamy maintained that one patient died of kidney ailment and another because of a snake bite. "Any ventilator at a hospital will have a back-up. That's normal. But, if you still have doubts, we will conduct an inquiry and give a report to this House," he said. </p>.<p>When Siddaramaiah asked the government to pay compensation to the kin of the deceased patients, Madhuswamy said, "We will examine it if any negligence is found."</p>
<p>The state government informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday that the death of two patients at the Vijayanagar Institute of Medical Sciences (VIMS) was not due to power failure. </p>.<p>Still, the government said it will have the deaths investigated and its report submitted to the Assembly amid protests by the Congress that accused the Bommai administration of negligence, leading to a ruckus in the House.</p>.<p>Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah raised the issue during Zero Hour to which Ballari district minister B Sriramulu responded on behalf of the government. </p>.<p>"On September 11, one Moula Hussain, 35, was admitted at 9.30 am with kidney and other chronic issues. He died on September 14. Chittemma, 30, was admitted after a snake bite, but she could not be saved as the poison was too much by the time she was admitted. These deaths did not happen because of power failure," Sriramulu said, adding that the medical superintendent’s report also had the same conclusion. </p>.<p>"I spoke to the VIMS director repeatedly last night. He said power comes and goes, that electricians are working on fixing old, damaged wires," the minister said, adding, "There’s a generator back-up for 1.5 hours. There’s also UPS for 1.5 hours."</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah, however, maintained that the patients died because of government negligence. "Yesterday morning, there was no power between 8 am and 10:30 am. This time, the generator wasn't working. Three patients in the ICU died due to lack of power supply and generator, because of which the ventilator wasn't working," he said, pinning the blame on the district administration, health department and the district minister. </p>.<p>The Assembly witnessed pandemonium after Law Minister JC Madhuswamy rose to object to the way Siddaramaiah's Zero Hour petition was worded. "You have said this is ‘government-sponsored murder’. How can you use such language? You haven’t read it. Otherwise, you’d not use this language," he said, angering Congress lawmakers.</p>.<p>Siddaramaiah demanded an inquiry. "How can you play with people’s lives? It’s not acceptable," he said.</p>.<p>Madhuswamy maintained that one patient died of kidney ailment and another because of a snake bite. "Any ventilator at a hospital will have a back-up. That's normal. But, if you still have doubts, we will conduct an inquiry and give a report to this House," he said. </p>.<p>When Siddaramaiah asked the government to pay compensation to the kin of the deceased patients, Madhuswamy said, "We will examine it if any negligence is found."</p>
