Botched cataract surgery victims move HC seeking higher compensation

Ahmedabad: The victims of the botched cataract surgeries, who lost their vision at a trust-run Ramanand Eye Hospital in Mandal town of Ahmedabad district, have approached the Gujarat high court for compensation.
Sixteen of the 17 victims filed an application in the high court requesting it to allow them to join the suo motu PIL (public interest litigation) that the court had filed after the incident in Jan.
They urged the HC to direct the state govt to pay them compensation for the damage caused by the surgeries.
The HC granted time to the state govt till Sep 27 to file a reply to the application by the victims seeking to join as a party.
On Jan 17, the HC filed a suo motu PIL after 17 patients lost their vision due to botched cataract surgeries at a trust-run hospital in Mandal town. In its order to register the case as a PIL, the HC stated, "This incident requires thorough and sincere investigation for fixing the liability of erring persons and to pay suitable compensation to victims who have lost their vision."
The victims of three other tragedies — Morbi bridge collapse, Harni boat capsizing in Vadodara, and the TRP Game Zone fire in Rajkot — for which the HC has been hearing suo motu PILs, have approached the HC for enhanced compensation.
In connection with the Morbi bridge tragedy of Oct 2022, Oreva Group, which managed and maintained the bridge, was ordered by the HC to pay Rs 10 lakh interim compensation in case of death. As many as 135 people were killed in the incident. However, the victims' kin have filed an application seeking Rs 2 crore compensation, and their application is pending.
The kin of Harni boat tragedy victims have also applied to join the suo motu PIL for directions to private players to pay compensation to them. On their application, the HC issued notice to the boat contractor Kotia Projects, and the school — New Sunrise School — seeking their response on the issue.
Similarly, an application filed by the relatives of the victims of the Rajkot game zone fire is also pending. They have sought enhanced compensation from the govt apart from Rs 4 lakh already paid and from the owners of the game zone.