Karnataka Gives Jobs to 25 Families After Hospital Tragedy

When oxygen supplies ran out at Chamarajanagar District Hospital on May 2, 2021, 36 Covid patients lost their lives in one of India's worst hospital tragedies during the pandemic's second wave.

This week, five years after that devastating night, 25 families received government jobs as the Karnataka state fulfilled a long-awaited promise. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally handed out appointment letters at a ceremony in Chamarajanagar on Tuesday.

Manjunath S was among those who received the good news. His father Siddaraju died during the oxygen shortage after spending five days in the hospital. "Doctors did not inform us after the deaths as they feared the hospital would be attacked," Manjunath told reporters.

The journey to this moment was long and difficult. Manjunath, along with former city councillor Galipura Mahesh and others, discovered the true scale of the tragedy when they entered the hospital and found bodies stacked on top of one another. An inquiry commission later confirmed 36 deaths, far more than the government initially reported.

The families organized, petitioned, and demonstrated for years. They even met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022, where they were promised jobs if Congress came to power in the state.

Manjunath, who previously taught at a private school, now has an appointment letter as a second division assistant at Chamarajanagar Medical College. Family members with different education levels received appropriate positions, from Group D jobs for those with basic qualifications to administrative assistant roles for more educated applicants.

The Ripple Effect

While 31 families were originally identified for assistance, 25 have now received their appointments. Two families declined the positions, and others face delays due to technical reasons. Still, this represents a significant step forward for communities dealing with grief and economic hardship.

Mahesh recalled the persistent efforts needed to make this happen. "We even met the Karnataka governor, chief minister, and other leaders over it," he said. The families refused to let their loved ones be forgotten or their tragedy swept aside.

For Manjunath and others, the jobs represent more than just employment. They're acknowledgment that these deaths mattered, that the government failed in its duty, and that surviving families deserved support to rebuild their lives after losing breadwinners during the pandemic's darkest days.

Five years is a long time to wait for a promise to be kept, but these families never stopped fighting for what they were owed.